U.S. patent application number 16/656024 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-13 for systems and methods to enable offer and rewards marketing, and customer relationship management (crm) network platform.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bruce Mitchell. Invention is credited to Bruce Mitchell.
Application Number | 20200051117 16/656024 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59066486 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-13 |
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00009.png)
![](/patent/app/20200051117/US20200051117A1-20200213-D00010.png)
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200051117 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mitchell; Bruce |
February 13, 2020 |
Systems and Methods to Enable Offer and Rewards Marketing, and
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Network Platform
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing offers, incentives, and
rewards across at least two merchants, wherein the system is
operable to, in one embodiment, store a consumer profile including
at least one account identifier, and wherein the at least one
account identifier is related to at least one payment method. The
system is further operable to receive at least one real-time
purchase record and match elements of the real-time purchase record
to the consumer profile, wherein the system is operable to provide
merchant offers, incentives, and rewards based on the matching and
the at least one real-time purchase record.
Inventors: |
Mitchell; Bruce; (San
Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mitchell; Bruce |
San Francisco |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59066486 |
Appl. No.: |
16/656024 |
Filed: |
October 17, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15435737 |
Feb 17, 2017 |
|
|
|
16656024 |
|
|
|
|
14329781 |
Jul 11, 2014 |
|
|
|
15435737 |
|
|
|
|
61845984 |
Jul 13, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/387 20130101;
G06Q 30/0238 20130101; G06Q 20/3223 20130101; G06Q 30/0239
20130101; G06Q 30/0233 20130101; G06Q 20/342 20130101; G06Q 30/0226
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20060101
G06Q030/02; G06Q 20/34 20060101 G06Q020/34; G06Q 20/32 20060101
G06Q020/32; G06Q 20/38 20060101 G06Q020/38 |
Claims
1. A system for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at
least two merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud
network, wherein the web tier is in network communication with one
or more consumer applications, merchant applications, or
administrative applications; a network services tier hosted on the
cloud network and providing a backend set of services, the backend
set of services operable for real-time communication with at least
one financial services server, wherein the backend set of services
is operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier related to at
least one payment method; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to manage merchant offers, incentives, and rewards across
at least two merchants for the consumer account; wherein the web
tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record with at
least one corresponding consumer account number and a purchase
amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further includes
indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product or
service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer
contact information; wherein the remote server computer is operable
to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
provide the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards based on the
merchant of the real-time purchase record and the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards
include at least one financing offer, incentive or reward; and
wherein upon acceptance of the at least one financing offer, the
network services tier is operable to reimburse at least some amount
of the purchase amount and charge the at least one payment method
based on terms of the financing offer.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the financing offer is targeted
based on the consumer information associated with the identified
corresponding user account meeting pre-set criteria.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one device includes
an application, wherein the application is operable to track and
store location, browsing, and purchasing information for the at
least one device; wherein the application is further operable to
construct a network activity record based on physical location,
browsing, and purchasing information and transmit the network
activity record to the remote server computer, the web tier, or the
network service tier; and wherein the remote server computer is
further operable to update the consumer profile with the network
activity record and provide the merchant offers, incentives, or
rewards based on the network activity record.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the web tier is operable to
construct a network activity record and transmit the network
activity record to the remote server computer, wherein the network
activity record includes e-commerce webpage views, online
purchases, online shopping cart additions, online searches, social
media posts, and/or other social media interactions.
5. The system of claim 1, further including a tablet computer
hosted at a physical commerce location, wherein the tablet computer
is operable to receive the consumer information, including the
account identifier related to at least one payment method, and
transmit the consumer information to the remote server
computer.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one wireless
router, wherein the at least one wireless router is operable to
construct a physical presence indicator for at least one device in
network communication with the at least one wireless router and
transmit the physical presence indicator to the remote server
computer.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one wireless router
is part of a network of routers, and wherein the routers of the
network of routers are positioned throughout a physical commerce
location.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the network services tier is
operable to reimburse and/or charge the at least one payment method
in real time or near-real time.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the account identifier related to
the at least one payment method is a credit card number or debit
card number.
10. A system for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at
least two merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud
network, wherein the web tier is in network communication with one
or more consumer applications, merchant applications, or
administrative applications; a network services tier hosted on the
cloud network and providing a backend set of services, the backend
set of services operable for real-time communication with at least
one financial services server, wherein the backend set of services
is operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier; wherein the
remote server computer is operable to communicate at least one
offer, incentive, or reward based on the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to manage
offers, incentives, and rewards across at least two offers,
incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer account; wherein
the remote server computer is operable to receive an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward; wherein
the web tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record
with at least one corresponding consumer account number and a
purchase amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further
includes indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product
or service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding
consumer contact information; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; and wherein the remote server computer is operable to
redeem the at least one offer, incentive, or reward for the
consumer account.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one offer,
incentive, or reward is targeted based on browsing history,
physical location history, purchase history, and/or demographics of
the consumer information associated with the consumer account.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the network services tier is
operable to debit or credit the at least one consumer account based
on the at least one offer, incentive, or reward.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote server computer is
further operable to communicate, activate, and redeem offers,
incentives, or rewards using an external rewards program or an
external points program.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the external rewards program or
the external points program is associated with at least one payment
method connected to the consumer account.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote server computer is
operable to attach at least one pre-purchased offer to the at least
one account and redeem the at least one pre-purchased offer.
16. A method for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at
least two merchants comprising: storing consumer information and at
least one loyalty program enrollment associated with the consumer
account, and wherein the consumer information includes an account
identifier; managing offers, incentives, and rewards across at
least two offers, incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer
account; communicating at least one offer, incentive, or reward
based on the stored consumer information associated with the
identified corresponding user account; receiving an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward;
receiving a real-time purchase record with at least one
corresponding consumer account number and a purchase amount,
wherein the real-time purchase record further includes indication
of a merchant, at least one purchased product or service, a
corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer contact
information; identifying a corresponding user account by matching
the corresponding consumer account number with the account
identifier and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or
the corresponding consumer contact information with the stored
consumer information; and redeeming the at least one offer,
incentive, or reward for the consumer account.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising a network services
tier communicating with at least one financial services network and
receiving the real-time purchase record via the financial services
network.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising reimbursing and/or
charging at least one payment method in real time or near-real
time.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising charging and/or
reimbursing at least one payment method using the account
identifier, wherein the account identifier is a credit card number
or debit card number.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication of the at
least one offer, incentive, or reward is targeted, and wherein the
communication occurs before the corresponding user account has been
identified or upon identification of the corresponding user
account.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority to and
the benefit of one or more prior filed applications. This
application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.
15/435,737, filed Feb. 17, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. application Ser. No. 14/329,781, filed Jul. 11, 2014, which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/845,984
filed Jul. 13, 2013, each of which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cloud-based platform for
enrolling accounts and administering one or more customer loyalty
and rewards programs in electronic communications networks, and
more particularly, systems and methods for providing and operating
a customer loyalty and rewards platform including consumer or
customer network-based and merchant-based registration and the
management thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[0003] Generally, prior art is known to provide digital loyalty and
rewards system and methods. By way of example, relevant prior art
includes the following U.S. patents and Publications:
[0004] U.S. Publication 2013/0073361 for "Methods and systems for
offering targeted deals to customers and real-time automatic
redemption thereof" filed on Sep. 20, 2012, describes wherein a
customer can select from coupons to them, such as offers made to
the customer (which may need to be purchased), vouchers purchased
by the customer, and the like. A redemption choice is received from
the cardholder indicating one or more coupons to `load` onto the
cardholder's card product. Information about offers, coupons,
vouchers, etc., loaded onto a cardholder's card product can be
stored in an offer deployment system. When the cardholder uses the
card product to purchase a good or service, a transaction approval
request is generated from at least one of a merchant, an acquirer,
an association, a bank, and an issuer. The transaction approval
request is processed wherein the step of processing comprises at
least one of querying the offer deployment system which determines
whether an offer loaded onto the cardholder's card product can be
applied to the purchase. If so, the value of the offer is applied
to the transaction. Preferably, offer value is applied to the
amount of the transaction approval request before the request is
received by the ultimate financial institution or card transaction
processing system responsible for approving the transaction such
that the amount of the transaction which must be approved is the
purchase price of the good or service less the applied value of the
offer. A receipt can be issued to the cardholder wherein the
receipt indicates the purchase and use of the coupon.
[0005] U.S. Publication 2012/0191525 for "Systems and Methods to
Facilitate Loyalty Reward Transactions" filed Jan. 23, 2012,
describes wherein Reward communications can be processed as
transactions over the communications system in a way similar to
credit/debit transactions. The enhanced communications system
allows simpler and/or more efficient implementation of complex
loyalty programs, and provides new options for creating new loyalty
programs. In one embodiment, a transaction handler for the
processing of transactions on financial accounts, such as credit
accounts, debit accounts, prepaid accounts, bank accounts, stored
value accounts and the like, is configured to support transactions
for crediting rewards to a reward account and/or transactions for
redeeming rewards from a reward account.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,573 for "Multiple party reward system
utilizing single account" filed Dec. 31, 1998, describes using one
reward/loyalty card for multiple accounts and enabling a frequent
shopper reward system capable of tracking performance data of a
plurality of members or account holders linked to a single frequent
shopper account. Additionally, the document discloses transacting
with at least one of the present sub-account holders, calculating a
reward level, allocating, to at least one of the present
sub-account holders, at least a portion of the determined reward
level, and updating the retrieved customer record.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 8,429,009 for "Universal Affinity System"
filed Jul. 16, 2008, describes tracking loyalty/reward programs
through the use of a third-party card or other medium. The system
enables: a merchant to determine incentives, such as discounts,
advertisements, or other offers, for a given customer or set of
customers; uploaded these incentives to respective customer
"personal account lockers"; and universal ID is encoded as a bar
code, the bar code may be provided to a corresponding customer on a
variety of different media, such as on an adhesive label that the
customer may apply to another device or item, printed on a credit
or debit card, printed on a key-chain card, or printed on any other
device or item that a customer may be likely to carry with him or
her.
[0008] U.S. Publication 2013/0054454 for "Wallet Service Enrollment
Platform Apparatuses, Methods and Systems" filed Sep. 21, 2012,
describes wherein a user may input username and password
credentials into the wallet widget (e.g., 210) to get
authenticated. The user may have control (e.g., create, view,
manage, cancel, etc.) over the individual relationships and may
configure permissions for each service they connect to. In one
embodiment, the WSEP may allow approved services, issuers and
merchants permissions to obtain various information relating to the
user and wallet such as consumer profile 225, billing agreement
230, redemption 235, loyalty and rewards 240, coupons/offers 245,
wish lists and stored items 250, merchant applications/widgets 255,
Value Added Resellers (VAR)/Software-as-a-service (SaaS) commerce
wallet plug-ins 260, analytics 265, account or points balance
information 270, payments 275, and/or the like. In one
implementation for example, the WSEP may manage which services can
connect to the wallet. In a further implementation, the WSEP may
pass along information from an approved and connected service such
as a loyalty program (e.g., STAR WOODS POINTS program) to a
merchant such that the merchant may provide the customer a special
deal, offer or an opportunity to use or exchange points/currency
when transacting. In one implementation, approved commerce
services, issuers and merchants may be able to push information
relating to any of the above to the wallet.
[0009] None of the prior art documents referenced herein or any
known prior art provides the solutions to the longstanding unmet
needs that are satisfied by the systems and methods of the loyalty
platform of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention relates to systems and methods for
providing and operating a customer loyalty and rewards platform
including network-based and merchant-based registration and
management, including mobile and electronic messaging, remote and
local customer user registration options, enrollment, and credit,
debit, and other electronic payment card account association with
the customer loyalty and rewards platform.
[0011] The present invention further provides credit, debit,
electronic payment, and/or card account enrollment automatically,
as well as the functions of adding promotional, financing and/or
discount offer(s), and/or other offers to a profile, adding cards,
credit, debit, and other electronic payment card accounts or
electronic payment accounts, redeeming promotional or discount
offers, real-time automated functionality, providing data for a
marketplace of vendors and customers, including account and
activity data, providing a coalition network model, and
combinations thereof.
[0012] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a system
for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least two
merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud network, wherein
the web tier is in network communication with one or more consumer
applications, merchant applications, or administrative
applications; a network services tier hosted on the cloud network
and providing a backend set of services, the backend set of
services operable for real-time communication with at least one
financial services server, wherein the backend set of services is
operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier related to at
least one payment method; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to manage merchant offers, incentives, and rewards across
at least two merchants for the consumer account; wherein the web
tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record with at
least one corresponding consumer account number and a purchase
amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further includes
indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product or
service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer
contact information; wherein the remote server computer is operable
to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
provide the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards based on the
merchant of the real-time purchase record and the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards
include at least one financing offer, incentive or reward; and
wherein upon acceptance of the at least one financing offer, the
network services tier is operable to reimburse at least some amount
of the purchase amount and charge the at least one payment method
based on terms of the financing offer.
[0013] In another embodiment, the present invention includes a
system for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least
two merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud network,
wherein the web tier is in network communication with one or more
consumer applications, merchant applications, or administrative
applications; a network services tier hosted on the cloud network
and providing a backend set of services, the backend set of
services operable for real-time communication with at least one
financial services server, wherein the backend set of services is
operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier; wherein the
remote server computer is operable to communicate at least one
offer, incentive, or reward based on the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to manage
offers, incentives, and rewards across at least two offers,
incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer account; wherein
the remote server computer is operable to receive an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward; wherein
the web tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record
with at least one corresponding consumer account number and a
purchase amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further
includes indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product
or service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding
consumer contact information; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; and wherein the remote server computer is operable to
redeem the at least one offer, incentive, or reward for the
consumer account.
[0014] In yet another embodiment, the present invention includes a
method for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least
two merchants comprising: storing consumer information and at least
one loyalty program enrollment associated with the consumer
account, and wherein the consumer information includes an account
identifier; managing offers, incentives, and rewards across at
least two offers, incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer
account; communicating at least one offer, incentive, or reward
based on the stored consumer information associated with the
identified corresponding user account; receiving an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward;
receiving a real-time purchase record with at least one
corresponding consumer account number and a purchase amount,
wherein the real-time purchase record further includes indication
of a merchant, at least one purchased product or service, a
corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer contact
information; identifying a corresponding user account by matching
the corresponding consumer account number with the account
identifier and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or
the corresponding consumer contact information with the stored
consumer information; and redeeming the at least one offer,
incentive, or reward for the consumer account.
[0015] These and other aspects of the present invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the
following description of the preferred embodiment when considered
with the drawings, as they support the claimed invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a virtualized computing
system for embodiments of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of
the invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a graphic user interface (GUI) diagram of
an embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0028] FIG. 13 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0029] FIG. 14 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0030] FIG. 15 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0031] FIG. 16 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0032] FIG. 17 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0033] FIG. 18 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0034] FIG. 19 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0035] FIG. 20 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0036] FIG. 21 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0037] FIG. 22 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0038] FIG. 23 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0039] FIG. 24 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0040] FIG. 25 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0041] FIG. 26 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0042] FIG. 27 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0043] FIG. 28 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0044] FIG. 29 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0045] FIG. 30 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0046] FIG. 31 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0047] FIG. 32 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0048] FIG. 33 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0049] FIG. 34 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0050] FIG. 35 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0051] FIG. 36 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0052] FIG. 37 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0053] FIG. 38 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0054] FIG. 39 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0055] FIG. 40 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0056] FIG. 41 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0057] FIG. 42 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0058] FIG. 43 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0059] FIG. 44 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0060] FIG. 45 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0061] FIG. 46 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0062] FIG. 47 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0063] FIG. 48 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0064] FIG. 49 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0065] FIG. 50 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0066] FIG. 51 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0067] FIG. 52 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0068] FIG. 53 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0069] FIG. 54 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0070] FIG. 55 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0071] FIG. 56 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0072] FIG. 57 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0073] FIG. 58 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0074] FIG. 59 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0075] FIG. 60 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0076] FIG. 61 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0077] FIG. 62 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0078] FIG. 63 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0079] FIG. 64 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0080] FIG. 65 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0081] FIG. 66 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0082] FIG. 67 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0083] FIG. 68 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0084] FIG. 69 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0085] FIG. 70 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0086] FIG. 71 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0087] FIG. 72 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0088] FIG. 73 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0089] FIG. 74 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0090] FIG. 75 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0091] FIG. 76 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0092] FIG. 77 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0093] FIG. 78 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0094] FIG. 79 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0095] FIG. 80 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0096] FIG. 81 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0097] FIG. 82 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0098] FIG. 83 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0099] FIG. 84 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0100] FIG. 85 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0101] FIG. 86 illustrates another GUI diagram of an embodiment of
the invention.
[0102] FIG. 87 illustrates a GUI diagram of a financing embodiment
of the invention.
[0103] FIG. 88 illustrates a GUI diagram of another financing
embodiment of the invention.
[0104] FIG. 89 illustrates a GUI diagram of another financing
embodiment of the invention.
[0105] FIG. 90 illustrates a GUI diagram of an offers, rewards, and
incentives redemption embodiment of the invention.
[0106] FIG. 91 illustrates a GUI diagram of a financing embodiment
of the invention.
[0107] FIG. 92 illustrates a financing offer, incentive, or reward
for a merchant, including a "Buy Now, Pay Later" promotion,
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0108] FIG. 93 illustrates a "Buy Now, Pay Later" promotion,
including a pre-approved user notification according to one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0109] FIG. 94 illustrates a multi-option financing offer including
an option to pay via the platform according to one embodiment of
the present invention.
[0110] FIG. 95 illustrates a multi-option financing offer including
user notification of an available financing offer according to one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0111] FIG. 96 illustrates one embodiment of a cash back rewards
program according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0112] FIG. 97 illustrates a loyalty program for a specific
merchant, including a user feedback system according to one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0113] FIG. 98 illustrates a co-brand, dual-brand, or private label
payment method registration system according to one embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0114] The present invention provides systems and methods for
providing and operating a customer loyalty and rewards platform
including network-based and merchant-based registration and
management, including mobile and electronic messaging, remote and
local customer registration options, enrollment and credit, debit,
and other electronic payment card account association therewith, as
well as functions of providing promotional and/or discount offers,
adding promotional and/or discount offer(s) to profile, adding
cards, credit, debit, and other electronic payment card accounts or
electronic payment accounts, redeeming promotional or discount
offers, real-time automated functionality, providing data for a
marketplace of vendors and customers, including account and
activity data, providing a coalition network model, and
combinations thereof. In describing the present invention and
embodiments thereof, reference to a credit, debit, and/or payment
card is directed to any suitable form factor representing the
account, rather than merely a physical card per se, because the
form factor may change, such as transition to, or addition of, a
mobile wallet or functional medium representing the electronic
payment account. The platform is sometimes referred to throughout
the specification as the Spring platform or Spring.
[0115] The systems and methods of the present invention provide for
connecting digital network-based environments with payment data,
including a rewards platform and/or a loyalty platform for
customers with merchants participating in the network. The present
invention systems and methods solution provide merchants with ways
to acquire new customers as well as a rewards program for existing
customers. In one embodiment, any digital media provided over a
network, e.g., online media provided over the Internet, is
functional and operable to automatically load or input customer
loyalty and rewards information to at least one electronic payment
media, including incentives or promotions to encourage consumer
action with the predetermined merchants for goods and/or services
to be automatically electronically associated with at least one
credit or debit card account, and/or electronic payment account of
a corresponding consumer user.
[0116] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a system
for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least two
merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud network, wherein
the web tier is in network communication with one or more consumer
applications, merchant applications, or administrative
applications; a network services tier hosted on the cloud network
and providing a backend set of services, the backend set of
services operable for real-time communication with at least one
financial services server, wherein the backend set of services is
operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier related to at
least one payment method; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to manage merchant offers, incentives, and rewards across
at least two merchants for the consumer account; wherein the web
tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record with at
least one corresponding consumer account number and a purchase
amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further includes
indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product or
service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer
contact information; wherein the remote server computer is operable
to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
provide the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards based on the
merchant of the real-time purchase record and the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the merchant offers, incentives, or rewards
include at least one financing offer, incentive or reward; and
wherein upon acceptance of the at least one financing offer, the
network services tier is operable to reimburse at least some amount
of the purchase amount and charge the at least one payment method
based on terms of the financing offer.
[0117] In another embodiment, the present invention includes a
system for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least
two merchants comprising: a web tier hosted on a cloud network,
wherein the web tier is in network communication with one or more
consumer applications, merchant applications, or administrative
applications; a network services tier hosted on the cloud network
and providing a backend set of services, the backend set of
services operable for real-time communication with at least one
financial services server, wherein the backend set of services is
operable to redeem an offer for a consumer account, redeem an
incentive for the consumer account, or credit a reward to the
consumer account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to
store consumer information and at least one loyalty program
enrollment associated with the consumer account, and wherein the
consumer information includes an account identifier; wherein the
remote server computer is operable to communicate at least one
offer, incentive, or reward based on the stored consumer
information associated with the identified corresponding user
account; wherein the remote server computer is operable to manage
offers, incentives, and rewards across at least two offers,
incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer account; wherein
the remote server computer is operable to receive an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward; wherein
the web tier is operable to receive a real-time purchase record
with at least one corresponding consumer account number and a
purchase amount, wherein the real-time purchase record further
includes indication of a merchant, at least one purchased product
or service, a corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding
consumer contact information; wherein the remote server computer is
operable to identify a corresponding user account by matching the
corresponding consumer account number with the account identifier
and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or the
corresponding consumer contact information with the stored consumer
information; and wherein the remote server computer is operable to
redeem the at least one offer, incentive, or reward for the
consumer account.
[0118] In yet another embodiment, the present invention includes a
method for providing offers, incentives, and rewards for at least
two merchants comprising: storing consumer information and at least
one loyalty program enrollment associated with the consumer
account, and wherein the consumer information includes an account
identifier; managing offers, incentives, and rewards across at
least two offers, incentives, or rewards programs for the consumer
account; communicating at least one offer, incentive, or reward
based on the stored consumer information associated with the
identified corresponding user account; receiving an indication of
activation of the at least one offer, incentive, or reward;
receiving a real-time purchase record with at least one
corresponding consumer account number and a purchase amount,
wherein the real-time purchase record further includes indication
of a merchant, at least one purchased product or service, a
corresponding device ID, and/or corresponding consumer contact
information; identifying a corresponding user account by matching
the corresponding consumer account number with the account
identifier and/or by matching the corresponding device ID and/or
the corresponding consumer contact information with the stored
consumer information; and redeeming the at least one offer,
incentive, or reward for the consumer account.
[0119] Loyalty and Rewards Platform.
[0120] In contrast to prior art systems and methods for loyalty and
rewards programs wherein each merchant has its own closed loyalty
and rewards program, and wherein customers must take specific
actions to enroll, the present invention provides for a loyalty and
rewards platform including a multiplicity of otherwise unrelated
merchants, wherein customers automatically enroll in a single
loyalty and rewards platform that provides rewards across the
multiplicity of merchants in the platform. In prior art examples,
users earn points or a currency that is redeemable not at the
merchant where the spend triggered the earn; by contrast to the
prior art, the present invention provides systems and methods
wherein users earn both a points currency redeemable outside that
merchant and earn towards a cash back reward with the merchant at
which the user spends. Thus, the present invention systems and
methods provide an interactive "ecosystem" that leverages existing
financial systems, networks, and infrastructure related to
electronic payment, in particular (but not limited to) electronic
payment cards, and existing customer behavior (making electronic
payment by swiping a magnetic stripe containing digital
representation of customer account data and other customer data
associated with at least one electronic payment card, for wide
scale implementation of a multi-merchant loyalty and rewards,
discounts, incentives, benefits, and combinations of these
programs. Notably, mobile payments, electronic wallets, etc., or
any other form of electronic payment, may be used as well.
[0121] Advantageously, the present invention business methods
transform customer payment information into marketing functionality
information that enables automated performance-based digital
promotions tracking and analysis. By way of example, the present
invention systems and methods provide automated performance-based
digital promotions by tracking customer activity compared with
revenue delivered as a result of the promotions, as evidenced by
customer electronic payments with merchants within the loyalty and
rewards platform (member merchants), including factors such as
payment amount, time, and location with respect to the customer
spend with the member merchants. Furthermore, the present invention
systems and methods include at least one database of customer
electronic payment account and corresponding payment information,
which is advantageously received from existing card networks,
including authorization and settlement data, directly in real time
or near real time, thus creating customer spend behavior
information and patterns relating to them, including upstream
pre-existing, which are transformed to target marketing
opportunities with those customers. Merchant friendly targeting of
customers to incentivize specific spend behavior includes all
promotional media available to deliver targeted advertising,
promotions, discounts, incentives and combinations thereof, to
existing or past customers and to potential new customers in a
plurality of formats and structures that are dynamic and that are
customized to satisfy the merchant requirements for results that
meet business goals or expectations. For example, a merchant
typically does not know if a target customer is an existing
customer unless upstream data on that customer is available.
Incentive-based discounting by merchants is effective, but only for
new customers or to reactivate stale customers. So upstream
customer spend behavior and patterns are important and useful in
structuring a targeting marketing project with the present
invention because they include customer geography, spend behavior
information, and provide self-reported automatic information
(including zip code and time of business transaction with a given
merchant, electronic payment card swipe location and time) that is
transformed into a scatterplot or other visual or graphical
representation with respect to up to about the past 90 days or
less. The targeted marketing or advertising is also customer
friendly inasmuch as the incentives extended to the customers are
directly relevant to the customer based upon past customer spend
behavior, so they provide incentives or promotions that are
consistent or related to the customer interests, based upon
comparison with the recent past spend behavior, and based upon
relationship (active, stale and/or past but inactive, new and/or no
relationship yet) with the merchant members of the loyalty and
rewards platform.
[0122] The present invention further provides smart offer
structures that are based on customer spend behavior and that align
the business goals or objectives of the member merchants for
stimulating and/or increasing customer activities in specific ways.
For example, predetermined triggers are established for extending
automated offers to the target customers that provide
discount-based incentives that deliver yield management in patterns
that improve the revenue of the member merchants according to
predetermined times, days of the week, days of the month, etc.,
e.g., restaurant merchant members establish triggers to stimulate
business on weekdays without existing high traffic, like Tuesdays.
Alternatively or additionally, the present invention provides Smart
Offer Structures that provide support for triggers that are
selected from: time conditions, spend-level for a transaction
conditions (i.e. above $X), spend-level for multiple visits at a
merchant transaction/visit frequency or visit threshold conditions,
inviting a contact to join the platform or a merchant rewards
program wherein the contact is a social media contact and wherein
in one embodiment the contact is invited to like the platform page
or a merchant page as well as joining the platform or a merchant
rewards program, joining the platform or a merchant rewards
program, and combinations thereof.
[0123] Significantly and advantageously, the loyalty and rewards
platform of the present invention uses existing infrastructure for
electronic payment and does not require any change in customer
payment types or methods, which leverage existing customer payments
without conscious steps or actions by the customers (no merchant
codes or coupons need to be provided by the customers participating
or enrolled in the platform at the time of purchase to engage the
loyalty and rewards platform and member merchants incentives). So
the customer unconsciously engages the loyalty and rewards platform
each time an electronic payment transaction is provided at member
merchants within the systems and methods of the present invention;
the customer experience is essentially effortless and requires no
additional steps other than purchase and electronic payment with
merchant members. Furthermore, discrete interactions between
customers and merchant members of the loyalty and rewards platform
of the present invention are automatically transformed into
continuous interactions without steps that are in addition to or
extraneous to the purchase transaction by the customer. Merchant
members have customer permission-based visibility into customer
spend activities, behaviors, and therefore potential interests,
which is essentially helpful for successful targeted advertising to
generate more business with new and existing customers in
predetermined ways. Therefore, customers' interests and merchant
members' marketing goals are aligned to provide seamless,
effortless interaction within the loyalty and rewards platform of
the present invention.
[0124] Customer Enrollment.
[0125] The present invention provides for a customer to enroll
multiple electronic payment cards or devices, including but not
limited to credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, mobile wallet
devices, mobile payment devices, and combinations thereof. Notably,
with the present invention, in one embodiment, by way of example
and not limitation, enrollment steps include: a user swiping a
payment card through a card reader (whether separate from or
co-incident with swiping the card to effect a payment transaction),
taking a photo of the payment card or entering the number through
an online form, including doing any of the above connected to or
associated with a Tablet computer or mobile phone computer, and
combinations of these options. There are a multiplicity of methods
for customers to activate enrollment in the loyalty, rewards,
and/or incentive platform of the present invention, including at
least one of: providing a physical form factor for receiving inputs
from customers at a merchant location; providing an interactive
website with graphic user interface via a data and communications
network (e.g., the Internet) for receiving inputs from customers at
remote locations from the merchant locations; providing a physical
marketing collateral at a merchant location, such as by way of
example and not limitation, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a
computer with display, etc.; automatically activating a customer
enrollment by the system, wherein the enrollment is triggered by a
purchase made by the customer using an electronic payment either at
a merchant and/or via online (remote) purchase from a merchant
within the network of merchants associated with the loyalty and
rewards platform of the present invention; and combinations
thereof. In the case of providing an interactive website with
graphic user interface via a data and communications network (by
way of example but not limitation, the Internet) for receiving
inputs from customers at remote locations from the merchant
locations, the website may be accessed by customers after they
input a website URL, provide inputs on a merchant website with a
link to a URL for registration and creating a customer profile,
receive a text message or SMS with a URL link that directs the
customers to a URL for registration and creating a customer
profile, providing an email invitation to a customer with a link to
a URL for registration and creating a customer profile or other
interactive website enrollment or registration page; providing any
other digital object online, including an ad with an incentive, and
combinations thereof. A sign-up or enrollment incentive may be
provided in addition to advertising or other promotion of customer
enrollment in the loyalty and rewards platform.
[0126] In any case, the enrollment automatically provides for
express, customer permission-based access to spend information
across all registered electronic payment cards for any issuing
bank, and for any card type (e.g., the associations providing
electronic payment cards, including VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN
EXPRESS, or DISCOVER networks for any issuing bank or financial
institution). Because the automatic enrollment is independent of a
financial institution and independent of any card issuer, the
systems and methods of the present invention provide the first
comprehensive multi-merchant, multi-electronic payment form (card,
etc.) for loyalty and rewards platforms, including real-time or
near real-time upstream and downstream data availability relating
to customer spend behavior, thus meeting a longstanding, unmet need
for this solution. The systems and methods of the present invention
provide for customer spend data to be automatically obtained
directly from the electronic payment card networks or associations
(e.g., VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, or DISCOVER);
additionally or alternatively, data is acquired from issuers or
processors of the electronic payment cards. Thus, the present
invention provides the ability to take data from one or more
financial institutions. Also, the present invention provides the
ability to take data from merchant processors or all the
processors. With this, the loyalty and rewards platform database
includes information and access to information from the electronic
payment card or account authorization file or feed; this data is
preferably aggregated and integrated by the servers and databases
of the systems and methods of the present invention. Furthermore,
the systems and methods of the present invention are applicable to
function for all merchants that accept any type of payment cards
and/or electronic payment, not only those that use a specific
processor. That is part of what is a unique attribute of the
present invention that provides a ubiquitous solution and
marketplace or network configuration of merchants and customer
users. In one example, those customers that use a given processor
can enroll all card types, but only for the merchants that use that
processor.
[0127] Other enrollment mechanisms for a consumer to enroll in the
platform or in a specific merchant rewards program through the
platform include: reading a card or card account number via a
magnetic stripe reader, EUROPAY VISA MASTERCARD (EMV), NEAR FIELD
COMMUNICATION (NFC), RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID), smart
chip, etc., taking a photo of a card or account number, scanning a
bar code, account number entry in a web browser or on a mobile app,
selecting a button on a website or mobile app, automatic enrollment
after selecting a single incentive offer or a group incentive offer
presented on the platform site, a third party site, via a mobile
app, email, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, Short
Message Service (SMS) message, or in response to a push
notification, and/or via accepting an invitation and/or incentive
via a social media or email contact or text message.
[0128] Enrollment Mechanism and Business Model.
[0129] The systems and methods of the present invention loyalty and
rewards platform provides for automatic receipt of all data
available to the associations relating to electronic payment card
information, while the loyalty and rewards platform provides
compensation to the one or more associations only when the loyalty
and rewards platform generates revenue under its business model of
providing targeted advertising to customers for member merchants.
The member merchants preferably have customer-approved visibility
to every customer spend event or activity, even though every
customer spend event does not generate the redemption of the
incentives provided by the member merchants to the target customers
under the loyalty and rewards platform of the present invention. By
having customer-approved visibility to every customer spend event
or activity without having to compensate the associations for
access to all of the data (and only providing payment when revenue
is generated from the loyalty and rewards platform) the present
invention has unique insight into more customer behavior that can
inform the targeted advertising and incentives provided under the
present invention, and attract more merchant members to
participate, which in turn attracts more customer members to
participate, thus creating a rapidly automatically growing and
evolving loyalty and rewards platform or loyalty and rewards
ecosystem that self-perpetuates growth without undue effort by any
single member, whether customer or merchant member.
[0130] Any and all micro-mechanics of electronic payment device or
payment card or payment card account enrollment are considered
within the scope of the present invention, such as data entry by
customer online or through software on a smartphone, tablet
computer, computer, etc., magnetic strip swipe or other reader
input at POS or magnetic strip swipe or other reader outside of POS
specific to effecting only the consumer card account enrollment,
chip and/or PIN, capture image of a card, or any PCI compliant
manner, and/or any others described hereinabove, and combinations
thereof. By way of example, the enrollment mechanisms include but
are not limited to, a web-based API that provides for automatic
enrollment with no latency, i.e., the real-time enrollment of an
electronic payment card occurs with the customer using the card for
a transaction with a participating merchant member, or the customer
may register one or more electronic payment cards with an online
enrollment with an interactive website, or onsite with a member
merchant with a card reader form factor, and/or with an electronic
form factor, such as a tablet computer, even without making a
purchase at the time of enrollment. Preferably, whenever any
payment is made through one or more of the associations or
processor, whether cash (in any currency), credit, debit, etc. on
electronic payment card accounts, that authorization file and
settlement file and corresponding data is automatically provided to
the loyalty and rewards platform of the present invention through a
communications or data network to the database(s) and server(s) of
the loyalty and rewards platform, whenever the customer member
makes an electronic payment at the member merchant. The data
includes authorization date, time, merchant identifier, location
identifier, and combinations thereof.
[0131] The loyalty and rewards platform of the present invention
provides rewards or loyalty and rewards points or other units to
the customer member account, which is associated directly with any
of the electronic payment cards of the customer member that are
enrolled with the loyalty and rewards platform. The loyalty and
rewards points or units are automatically attributed to the
customer member account, and are applicable to spend with any and
all merchant members within the loyalty and rewards platform in
electronic form, without requiring any additional action,
selection, or indication by the customer of how or when the loyalty
and rewards points or rewards will apply, and to which merchants.
Preferably, the loyalty and rewards points are convertible
automatically into any incentive available on the loyalty and
rewards platform at any time. The format may include automatic
credit to the electronic payment card account, prepaid cards, etc.,
and is preferably "paperless", i.e., the system automatically
indicates, tracks, and stores data on the incentives and points
available to any customer at any time, and tracks redemption and/or
cash credit to the customer accounts.
[0132] From business model standpoint, the present invention
systems and methods further provide for a seamless settlement of
the redeemed offer by providing for automatic debit or automatic
payment by the merchant members accounts, as they provide
permission to debit the merchant and/or processor account at the
time a customer activates and redeems an offer provided by that
merchant within the loyalty and rewards platform of the present
invention.
[0133] Customer Activation of an Offer.
[0134] Preferably, real-time data is used to message customer
members about offers from member merchants, including offers to
join, earn and redeem loyalty and rewards points or units within
the loyalty and rewards platform of the present invention.
Following customer enrollment in the loyalty and rewards platform,
the customer can see all merchant members associated with the
system, search for offers and search for merchants of interest, for
merchants within the network and also for merchants that are not
yet included in the network. Activation of an offer is by
click-select and automatic loading to the electronic payment
card(s) associated with the customer profile following enrollment.
The offer can be added to the electronic payment card automatically
for automatic redemption, by the user "claiming the offer" through
an action online such as clicking a link, the offer may be added
with a purchase transaction (buy now and redeem later), pre-paid
cards, the ability for the automatic redemption on a card, and/or a
trigger activation of an offer may be provided online or through
customer activity or proximity to a merchant member location.
[0135] Examples of different types of offers include a cash back
offer, an advanced sale offer, a pre-purchased offer, and a credit
eligible offer. A cash back offer is preferably an offer for a
fixed dollar value or percentage of a transaction amount of cash
back when a user has activated the offer and meets all qualifying
conditions. A pre-purchased or advanced sale offer is, in one
embodiment, an offer which is pre-purchased by the user. Notably,
the pre-purchased or advanced sale offer often redeems at higher
rates since the user must pay for this offer upfront and the offer
preferably has an expiration. A credit eligible offer is, in one
embodiment, a special offer which is purchased with rewards
currency earned by the user via a purchase transaction or other
activity at one or more merchants or partner websites, mobile
applications, or other digital assets, including currency, points,
rewards, or offers from a Third Party Partner or a mall currency.
In one embodiment, a credit eligible offer is supported by (1) an
API granting a Third Party Partner user a fixed dollar amount of
rewards currency, (2) an API returning a list of credit eligible
offers to be used by Third Party Partner, (3) an API allowing a
credit eligible offer to be claimed, (4) an API showing details on
how the rewards currency has been earned and spent, (5) contacting
an API to award the currency, (6) allowing the customer user to
select available credit eligible offers, and (7) showing currency
balance and details on a user interface.
[0136] Targeting rules for offers include targeting, by way of
example and not limitation: everyone, existing members of the
platform, non-members who have not joined the platform, spenders
who have previously transacted through the platform, non-spenders
who are members of the platform but have not transacted through the
platform, lapsed members who have not transacted in the last X
days, hours, minutes, etc. generally or at a specific
location/store, and VIP members who have a hit a lifetime level of
spending through the platform. The front-end system of the platform
provides for implementation of targeting rules as well as tracking
membership and summarizing transactional data.
[0137] Display rules govern whether an offer should be shown or
activated. Redemption rules determine if an offer which has been
activated can be redeemed based on a qualifying transaction. By way
of example and not limitation, redemption rules include location
(is the offer accepted at the store or location where the user
transacted?), transaction date (is the offer still valid and not
blacked out?), transaction time (is the offer being redeemed at the
set time of the day?), and minimum purchase (is the transaction
amount sufficient to redeem the offer?). Preferably, the redemption
rules are enforced by the platform. The Third Party Partner mobile
app and website would need to display and communicate these rules,
so users are aware of the restrictions prior to transacting.
Location specific offers typically require that location
transactional data or real-time location data is transmitted to the
Third Party Partner using identifiers readable by the Third Party
Partner website and app. Location transactional data or real-time
location data is communicated in a variety of ways, including but
not limited to, via Global Positioning System (GPS), an IP address
of a point of sale system, an IP address of an electronic device
involved in a transaction, cellular triangulation, etc.
[0138] The present invention systems and methods also preferably
leverage email marketing mechanisms to connect customer behavior to
customer action with member merchants. So preferably, all
promotions in the loyalty and rewards platform of the present
invention are provided in a digital format or on a digital
"surface", that connect to downstream customer behavior and spend
as evidenced by the enrolled electronic payment card transactions
of the customers with the member merchants. By way of example and
not limitation, the customer click-selects a digital advertisement
online or presented in an email or text message or web site format,
and load or input or import the corresponding digital incentive to
a customer profile or account on the loyalty and rewards platform
of the present invention (the Spring profile) and automatically
load it to the electronic payment cards (or accounts) that are
associated with that customer profile within the loyalty and
rewards platform. Then, any subsequent electronic payment with the
corresponding customer cards at the member merchant automatically
provide for the redemption or discount associated with the digital
incentive offered online by the member merchant.
[0139] In one embodiment of the present invention, automatic
enrollment through a purchase transaction includes the steps of:
the system receiving an electronic payment customer account number
or identifier (including for example but not limitation, a credit
card capture number); receiving a permission from the corresponding
customer (user) corresponding to the electronic payment customer
account number or identifier; receiving customer contact
information (by way of example and not limitation, name, address,
phone number, email address, and combinations thereof);
automatically creating a customer profile from the information
received; automatically enrolling the customer and corresponding
customer profile as a participant (or member) in the loyalty and
rewards platform. The present invention systems and methods provide
for at least two ways for customers to join the marketplace or
network: 1) when a user purchases something, whether an online
e-commerce check out or a card present transaction at POS in a
store, that transaction also is functionally equivalent to an
automated enrollment (and importantly, because the user so
indicates and provides a permission); 2) a customer user first
joins through one of many potential entry points--for example at a
first merchant, Merchant #1 or other connected/and or registered
loyalty system. After that, when the user simply pays with an
enrolled card at another merchant in the network, that creates the
potential for the user to "join" the rewards program of that #2-N
merchant on an automatic, opt-out or opt-in basis. This is a very
powerful way for all merchants and partners that participate in the
network to build their rewards member list because normal swipes
are functionally equivalent to joining to customers, if already in
from somewhere else. Real-time notice to users based on
authorization data (or data coming out of the POS) is important to
make this work for the user when swiping and automatically joining
thereby at merchant 2-N.
[0140] Notably, the present invention systems and methods provide
for automatic customer enrollment of multiple cards (or electronic
payment devices) of any card type, and/or from different issuing
banks, following receipt of near real time authorization or copy of
capture data from electronic payment transactions by the customer
at the at least one merchant participating in the loyalty and
rewards platform of the present invention. At least one primary
account number associated with a customer is used for automatic
enrollment with the loyalty and rewards platform; other cards or
electronic payment accounts may be further included and associated
with that customer profile based upon future transactions (and
automatic inputting of alternate accounts at the time of the
transactions for customers already associated with the loyalty and
rewards platform). Customers may create a corresponding customer
profile at the time of enrollment.
[0141] Optionally, additional method steps include: automatically
associating the customer profile with at least one merchant
registered within the loyalty and rewards platform of the present
invention; automatically generating at least one advertisement,
promotion, and/or incentive for the customer based upon patterns
generated from customer behavior and corresponding association data
that are stored in a database and analyzed by at least one server
computer in electronic communication connection with the database.
Significantly, no prior art enrollment methods provide for
automatic enrollment of multiple cards of any card type and/or from
different issuing banks, since the prior art systems and methods do
not receive near real time authorization or copy of capture
data.
[0142] The systems and methods of the present invention provide for
activation of an offer (incentive, loyalty and rewards benefit,
reward, and combinations thereof) extended by a merchant
participating in the loyalty and rewards platform of the present
invention to at least one customer, including at least one of the
following steps: automatically adding the offer to the electronic
payment account of the corresponding customer(s); automatically
presenting an offer for the customer(s) to purchase and redeem
later in association with at least one of the customer accounts
identified or stored with the loyalty and rewards platform; and/or
automatically crediting the account and/or triggering the offer
when a customer makes a purchase of goods or services associated
with the offer and/or the merchant associated with the offer.
[0143] Offers, incentives, and/or rewards (including financing or
installment offers and/or terms) are operable to be initiated,
managed, redeemed, and/or targeted, via the platform by third party
partners (including merchants, financial institutions, digital
marketing institutions, locality-based organizations (e.g.,
shopping malls), multi-merchant retailers and networks, and others)
or by the platform directly. In one embodiment, the platform
provides both customer accounts and third-party accounts, wherein
third party accounts and customer accounts have access to different
functionality, and wherein third party accounts are operable to
initiate, target, track, analyze, and manage campaigns for one or
more merchants or organizations. In another embodiment, each type
of account is provided access by the platform to one or more
programs (e.g., mobile, web, or desktop applications) or websites,
wherein the access provides each of the management and campaign
tools for creating offers, incentives, or rewards, and tracking
usage and feedback.
[0144] Loyalty and Rewards Platform Communication and Data.
[0145] The present invention systems and methods provide for the
ability to communicate with any customer member following
enrollment by any means for any electronic payment card or device
account associated with the customer member. The communications
methods may be provided by email, text or SMS, native application
on mobile and tablet computer devices, automatically through
geographic location functionality and corresponding software, email
CRM and marketing communications, etc. Advantageously, the
presentation, targeting, communicating, tracking, reporting,
analytics, offer types, redemption, and customer behaviors relating
to spend compared with offers presented are included with the
present invention loyalty and rewards platform communications and
data associated with the customer electronic payment transactions.
All methods of merchant offer discovery by the customers and/or
promotion to customers is provided within the scope of the present
invention. The data analytics and reporting may be provided to
member merchants, to member customers, or to partners of the
loyalty and rewards platform to facilitate assessment of success of
the loyalty and rewards behavior corresponding to digital
incentives provided by any means. Thus, the present invention
uniquely provided direct correlation of targeted advertising in any
electronic format to actions taken and to spend activity by the
customers on a transaction basis and with respect to trends or
behavior over time.
[0146] Track and Utilize Transaction Activity
[0147] Advantageously, the systems and methods of the present
invention are operable to use both real-time transaction data,
preferably in the form of authorization files or notification of
authorization files, and latent transaction data, which is
preferably in the form of clearing files or notification of
clearing files. Transaction data is obtained from, inter alia, a
server computer or cloud of a financial services provider, a
point-of-sale, a server associated with a point-of-sale, or any
other source including the authorization files or clearing files.
Transaction data is used for targeting and sending messages and/or
digital content, which provides for targeting or segmenting users
based on transaction history to send a message or notification,
including a promotion or offer, electronically to a user, via, by
way of example and not limitation, email, text, mobile app
notifications, an ad, an offer, or other digital content. The
transaction history preferably includes history relating to
merchants, services, goods, classes/types of goods, and/or
classes/types of services. Preferably, these messages or
notifications are sent by the network services tier, which is
operable to send a message or notification to a consumer or
merchant in the platform. In another embodiment, transaction data
is used in real-time to send a message or notification
electronically to a user via any of the methods listed above
relating to the user earning a reward, incentive, or receiving an
offer, as well as providing an opportunity for the user to provide
feedback or a review. Transaction data is also used in real time by
the platform to trigger the earning of an incentive (offer, reward,
etc.). In contrast to merely just notifying the user about an
incentive, this involves actually activating the incentive.
Notably, the present invention also provides for the ability to use
transaction data in real time to trigger the redeeming of an
incentive (offer, reward, etc.). Transaction data is also used in
real time to enroll a user into a loyalty, rewards, or offers
program which is part of the platform or to send a message or
notification electronically via any of the methods referenced above
related to enrollment. Advantageously, a user enrolled in the
platform of the present invention can join specific platform
programs throughout the network on an opt out or opt in basis.
[0148] Spend Informed User Base and Spend Informed User Base
Service(s).
[0149] Spend-informed user base or audience and spend informed user
base service(s) includes any consumer user active with any form of
digital surface or asset, including a web page, email, mobile
application, text message, etc., where that activity by the
consumer user can be informed by or services enhanced by that
user's past or future spend behavior information using a payment
mechanism or form factor including a payment card account
(including account number) or functionally equivalent mechanism.
Examples of use of previous "upstream" payment information include
targeting certain messages or advertisements or content to the user
based on such data. For example, the presentation of advertisements
(ads) or other content to users varies based on user spend
information and ability for platform to discern user status (e.g.,
to identify if the user is in a merchant rewards program or not, if
the user has made a purchase or spend at predetermined merchant(s)
within last predetermined number of days or not, whether the user
spends a financial value above a predetermined amount or not,
already in merchants email list or not, and combinations thereof;
if the user has spent at predetermined geography scope,
location(s), category or time, therefore a content is likely to be
relevant to user; enable different pricing to merchant depending on
character of user (e.g. new customer within last predetermined
timeframe or not) and presentation surface; and combinations
thereof.
[0150] An example of use of future or "downstream" spend behavior
by consumer users includes any tracking of user spend behavior
after interacting with content on digital surface.
[0151] In another use case, the platform provides an aggregated
group of consumer users with platform-registered (or
platform-enrolled) corresponding payment card account information,
and the platform is operable for receiving by the at least one
server computer, storing and analyzing in the database, the
consumer users' spend data and product and/or services included in
each purchase. A merchant client runs a non-digital marketing
campaign or a digital marketing campaign that does not include
direct click-stream tracking to the users' spend behavior. The
comparative aggregate normalized spend behavior of various users
groups and users before and after the campaign be reported and
analyzed. Example: 1,000,000 users are enrolled in Spring in
Chicago. 50K in a given merchant's rewards program. Merchant runs a
radio campaign. The spend behavior of both user pools is tracked
and analyzed to show "view through" or "hear through" vs. click
through response.
[0152] Spend Informed User Base Service(s) should also include any
service with a mechanism to credit value to users based on their
spend behavior in relation to any marketing or promotion activity
or service. For example, crediting a user $X because they took a
certain action in relation to a promotion to that user.
[0153] Methods of Developing Spend Informed User Base.
[0154] Associated with Customer Use of a Payment Card Account.
[0155] The present invention systems and methods provide for
consumer user sign up mechanisms with the platform that are
automatically activated when the consumer user makes a purchase
using an electronic payment card account, such as by way of example
and not limitation, by making a payment for goods and/or services
via a credit card having a magnetic strip at a point of sale (POS)
device ("a card-swipe"). Currently, card-swipe works with the
platform of the present invention when the consumer user has
registered or signed up online or via a platform-enabled mechanism
(e.g., a tablet computer located at a merchant that is registered
or associated with the platform), subsequently the user makes a
transaction at another registered merchant, and the consumer user
is presented with a message on a graphic user interface of a
display on the POS mechanism, that allows the user to activate
another unrelated part of the platform ecosystem (e.g. at an
unrelated second merchant's program). These steps may include an
opt-out, opt-in or automatic (no message at all) basis.
[0156] The systems, methods, and platform of the present invention
operate to allow the consumer user to register automatically
remotely via different mechanisms and methods that functionally
operate to "sign user up once anywhere in the network", i.e., to
provide for the consumer user to register in a single instance
within the platform from any one of a variety of methods,
mechanisms, and/or activities that include a single purchase or
spend by the consumer user at any of the registered merchants
within the platform using the at least one consumer user electronic
payment card account. By sharp contrast to the present invention,
all prior art rewards programs require that users enroll multiple
times at multiple merchants, and/or take more than one action to
activate rewards or digital incentives with multiple merchants
and/or multiple payment card accounts; they must re-enroll the user
including their need to provide their payment card account number
through at least a second specific subscription process or
step(s).
[0157] Associated with Payment to a Business or Through a
Service.
[0158] The present invention systems and methods provide that when
a consumer user pays a merchant for goods or services, capturing
users or audience for any service other than customer paying their
bill for that transaction through any mechanism of card account
number capture, and/or a way to communicate with user (e.g. through
email or text), whether through user opt-in, opt-out or
automatically (without explicit consent). So, for example, the way
customers pay through prior art tablet POS payment system (e.g.
SQUARE or other similar providers, including BREADCRUMB, GROUPON
POS, SHOPKEEP, CLOVER, etc.), would not allow the service to then
convert those customers into users of some other service e.g. a
rewards or loyalty program, unless they sign up a different way;
this is a longstanding problem with the prior art. The present
invention provides for automatic capture of a customer user's
payment card account information and/or capture of a customer user
email address or text number for a mobile phone or smartphone,
followed by and/or associated with automatically generating and
sending a message at the at least one server computer over the
network to the consumer user's mobile device, wherein the message
indicates that the user can opt-in or out of joining the platform
automatically. Preferably, the systems, methods, and platforms of
the present invention extends to and includes any and all other
payment card acceptance vehicles or mechanisms (e.g. VERIFONE
terminals, conventional POS, payment for something online on a
website, etc.).
[0159] Conversion of Payment Card Accounts on File.
[0160] Many e-commerce companies have large user bases who have
purchased something through that company's website and given
permission to maintain that card on file. Notable examples include
online music stores (e.g., APPLE ITUNES), e-commerce marketplaces
(e.g., GROUPON, LIVINGSOCIAL, AMAZON), digital payment systems
(e.g., BRAINTREE and their VENMO e-commerce service that allows
sites to share this permission), and the like. For example, if you
buy something on a transportation app (e.g., UBER) and provide a
card on file, you can buy something through a lodging app (e.g.,
AIRBNB) without providing a new payment card, but just using the
one in the digital payment system (e.g., VENMO) enabled
service.
[0161] Preferably, the systems and methods of the present invention
provide for the automatic conversion of these payment-card-on-file
accounts into electronic payment card accounts enrolled in a
service that enables or utilizes spend informed users, as described
herein, and/or registered with the platform of the present
invention, which is not described, disclosed, or used in the prior
art. By way of example, the following use cases are illustrated for
the present invention.
[0162] When a consumer user purchases something, the consumer user
spend or purchase activity with a payment card account, the system
co-incidentally and automatically is enrolling the payment card
account and providing a permission to terms of use or privacy
policies that are a Spend Informed User service. Whether opt in,
opt out or automatically. Once a consumer user has registered with
the platform of the present invention, including providing at least
one electronic payment card account and a profile, if there is a
card-on-file, separate from a purchase transaction, the consumer
user provides a permission, such as opt in, opt out, or
automatically, to include the other payment card accounts, such as
the card-on-file.
[0163] Scheduling App+Card Linked Offer.
[0164] The present invention provides the system with the ability
to present or accept or use any advertisement or marketing content
to a consumer user that may be accepted and linked to their
electronic payment card account through or in association with or
adjacent to their use of any appointment booking or scheduling
application. For example and not limitation, the method steps of:
making a reservation at a restaurant using a restaurant
table-finding app (e.g., OPENTABLE or similar web-based
application), or making a reservation at a health or beauty
provider using SalonBooker.com, SpaBooker.com, SpaFinder.com, or
LifeBooker.com or similar web-based application. Either of these
method steps that provide for making an appointment or scheduling a
reservation automatically provide the functionality of sign up for
the user with the systems and methods of the present invention.
Additionally, a time-window based incentive that is conditional
upon taking an action or making a step such as scheduling an
appointment or reservation using a predetermined website-based
application from a remote communications device may be provided,
e.g. dine Tuesday after 5 p.m. and receive $20 off your bill.
Enrollment also occurs according to one embodiment of the present
invention in connection with making an order for goods or services,
by way of example and not limitation, ordering food delivery, food
pickup, a ride from a transportation app (e.g., UBER, LYFT), a
taxi, or any other order for goods and/or services.
[0165] Protect Products that Monetize.
[0166] Digital incentives are operable automatically within any of
the at least one consumer user payment card accounts registered
with the platform by the consumer user and/or associated with the
consumer user profile on the platform. Digital incentives may be
provided as a flat rate discount, a flat rate for predetermined
products or services in specified, predetermined, and/or quantity,
a discount rate as a percentage for total spend or purchase at at
least one merchant registered within the system to participate in
the platform of the present invention. For example, a digital
incentive may provide the consumer user to save $10, save 10%,
and/or save $10 or 10%, on the next purchase at predetermined
merchant(s) of the platform.
[0167] Digital incentives created by and associated with the
platform, systems, and methods of the present invention are
provided to consumer users can be activated many ways, based on
many conditions or automatically, for example, a click-select
action by a customer user in a GUI of a website or mobile app GUI
automatically activates a digital incentive associated
therewith.
[0168] Digital incentives (DIs) can have conditions, restrictions,
and/or limitations required for their redemption automatically on
the consumer user's payment card account(s) registered with the
platform and/or associated with the consumer user profile stored on
the platform database. By way of example and not limitation,
automatically triggering the automatic redemption by satisfying
conditions, restrictions, and/or limitations associated with the
digital incentive occurs in the following types of scenarios:
purchase amount or spend of X value (in a currency) is required to
trigger the DI, a predetermined number of visits within a
predetermined time frame to a predetermined merchant or merchants
are required to trigger the DI, a transaction for purchase or spend
must occur within a predetermined time window defined by a start
time, or a start time and an end time (e.g., beginning Tuesday
after 5 p.m., or Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., etc.), only a
limited quantity of items or instances of services are available,
customer user must have a certain status (e.g., has not yet
completed a transaction with at least one predetermined merchant in
last predetermined number of days, or is or is not a member of
merchant's rewards program or on their email list), a pre-purchase
is required (and then the DI works automatically through use of
that or any payment card on the consumer users' profile or platform
account, an advance sale product or service for a predetermined
merchant as agreed upon in advance, and combinations thereof.
[0169] None of the prior art publications and/or commercial
providers or promoters of deals provide for any mechanism to
electronically link to or integrate with a payment card or with a
payment card account for consumer users. In those prior art
references, users purchase a deal using a payment card such as a
credit card used online for completing the purchase, but any aspect
of redemption, including tracking and crediting, is not managed
through the user's payment card account, as with the platform,
systems and methods of the present invention. The present invention
systems, methods, and integrated platform operate to promote a deal
or other incentive to consumer users, have consumer users purchase
it, or otherwise activate it including through a click-select or
other input or event, and/or with a device or mechanism as
described herein), and have its presentation and redemption in
relation to the corresponding transaction with the merchant
associated with and receivable of the deal or incentive, and
provide for automatic administration and management of the
redemption through the consumer user payment card account.
[0170] By way of additional detailed description of the platform,
systems and methods of the present invention, included in the
functionality and operation for providing for any mechanism to
electronically link to or integrate with a payment card or with a
payment card account for consumer users, the following illustrative
steps, components or features are provided: the purchase or spend
behavior of consumer users evidenced by data from the consumer user
payment card account(s) is preferably tracked, analyzed, and/or
reported, which then provides for significantly improved targeted
content and targeted advertisement that is data-confirmable by the
purchase or spend behavior of consumer users and the corresponding
granularity of the data from their payment card accounts.
Additionally and advantageously, consumer users payment card
account mechanism is operable to convey value to the user, for
example by automatically applying an electronic financial credit
related to an incentive to the consumer user through one of their
payment card accounts registered with their profile within the
platform of the present invention.
[0171] Multi-Merchant or Multi-Visit Incentive Products.
[0172] The virtualized computing and network-based platform,
systems, and methods of the present invention function to provide
consumer users with incentives that are merchant-agnostic, i.e.,
they may work at more than one merchant or more than one visit. For
example, in an alternative embodiment, platform is configured so
that the consumer user having a registered consumer user account
with at least one consumer user payment card account associated
therewith, and having a user profile within the platform, when a
consumer user pays a predetermined amount $X and receive an
incentive worth $X multiplied by Y, which generates a credit for
the multiplied digital incentive (up to a maximum or cap that is
predetermined), wherein the multiplied digital incentive value
usable in $X increments for each transaction at any merchant in the
platform's network. Following the steps of purchasing or otherwise
activating via click-select or other GUI in a web site or mobile
app, a consumer user can visit a platform-registered merchant
(digitally online or physically in a merchant location) and
automatically receive a digital incentive in a predetermined amount
(e.g., $10) and this repeats until up to a maximum predetermined
amount or cap (e.g., $200, which is 20 multiplied by $10) worth of
digital incentives are aggregated or used. In an alternative
embodiment, platform is configured so that the consumer user having
a registered consumer user account with at least one consumer user
payment card account associated therewith, and having a user
profile within the platform, pay $X and receive $X as digital
incentive whenever the consumer user visits merchant A until the
end of B time period. For example, once activated by purchase or
otherwise, a consumer user as patron of a restaurant (merchant A)
automatically receives the digital incentive each time they
transact within the predetermined time period B. There are other
permutations of multi-merchant and multi-visit digital incentive
packages that can be formulated; preferably, merchant users of the
platform select predetermined digital incentive packages offered by
the platform after their registration to participate as sponsoring
merchants for a merchant subscription service fee in one business
model implementation of the present invention, and/or for a
customized digital incentive package having a corresponding
customized fee.
[0173] The present invention systems, methods, and platform provide
for automated customer loyalty and/or rewards programs that
function on, through, and/or in association with payment card
accounts of consumer users, preferably those consumer users that
are registered to participate in the platform, and who have a
customer profile and have registered at least one consumer user
payment card account, thereby providing for automated and
integrated functionality with any activity for payments of those at
least one consumer user payment card account. Thus, the spend
behavior evidenced by the activity for payments of those at least
one consumer user payment card account is provided automatically
and stored within the database(s) associated with the platform and
the at least one server computer of the system, illustrated in FIG.
1. The spend behavior includes at least the amount of the purchase
and detailed information about the goods and/or services included
in each purchase, date and time of purchase, location of purchase
(or indication of online website- or mobile app-based purchase),
and combinations thereof. The platform for targeted digital
incentives of the present invention provides for spend or visit
based programs where the consumer user earns a digital incentive
for spend behavior, wherein the spend behavior related digital
incentives are selected from the following activities: spend at the
merchant directly associated with the initial digital incentive (a
first merchant), spend at other merchants, earn a reward at the
first merchant, earn another reward currency, such as a notional
value currency. Notional value currencies are useable by consumer
users at one or more merchants affiliated within the integrated
platform for marketing, advertising, and management of digital
incentives with more than one otherwise unrelated merchants who are
participating within the platform. Also, points based currencies
redeemable at various places or for various goods and services.
[0174] The systems and methods of the present invention also
function to provide consumer users the ability to enroll multiple
payment cards in their profile and have spent on any of them
aggregate up to their benefit on the profile level.
[0175] In a business model application of the present invention,
the platform access is provided in exchange for payment by consumer
users and/or merchant users for subscription-based services which
allow access and profile management and maintenance during the
subscription services period. In one example of the business method
model, each of the consumer users pays a subscription fee on a
periodic basis (e.g., monthly) for access to incentives (offers and
rewards) and privileges useable at platform-affiliated or
registered merchants.
[0176] Marketing Products Connect to Customer Rewards Program.
[0177] A differentiator from the prior art is that marketing
incentive products provided by the present invention platform,
systems and methods that merchant clients or registered merchants
with the platform use to advertise to potential new customers, also
drive customer memberships in their rewards program in a seamless
and integrated manner, without requiring additional steps,
documentation, or registration by the customer, since the consumer
user registers with the platform of the present invention, creates
a single profile, registers at least one customer user payment card
account with the platform, and is automatically registered for all
participating merchant members and their merchant rewards programs.
For example, if a business sends an audience a $10 incentive, those
potential customers from that audience that accept the digital
incentive, register with the present invention platform in a single
registration as described herein, and automatically and immediately
receive the benefit of that digital incentive, and are
automatically enrolled in that merchant's rewards program without
requiring a redundant, or second registration step or action by the
consumer user, according to the present invention. Thus, the
present invention provides for consumer user interaction with the
platform, and the ad or marketing product digital incentive
received and used by the consumer user provide for automatic
enrollment and registration in merchant-specific reward programs or
membership listing or other mechanism of any kind that allows
merchant to have access to that consumer user's spend behavior data
and/or to communicate with them (e.g. through email or otherwise)
in the future regarding advertising, digital or other incentives,
awards, rewards, coupons, and combinations thereof, and to track
the efficacy of those communications by comparison with the
corresponding consumer user spend behavior data, including trends,
patterns, confirming specific actions with respect to
communications in time, frequency and type of spend, and
combinations thereof
[0178] Protecting Access to the Payment Data.
[0179] The platform, systems and methods of the present invention
protect access to the payment data from any and all payment data
sources, including but not limited to card networks (e.g., VISA,
MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER), payment processors
associated with merchants, financial institutions and card issuers,
Point of Sale (POS) and card acceptance terminals (such as
terminals from VERIFONE payment transaction company), and any
combinations thereof.
[0180] Methods the Facilitate Redemption of an Offer or Incentive
Through a Payment Card Account.
[0181] Prior art provides for many consumers to purchase offers
from distributors, like e-commerce marketplaces GROUPON or
LIVINGSOCIAL, wherein redemption is managed through the
presentation of a voucher by the consumer to the merchant. In most
cases, this process is manual, and use a physical paper voucher to
present to the merchant for receipt of the goods and/or services.
In prior art electronic vouchers, consumers present an electronic
voucher through a GUI representation of the voucher, e.g., a mobile
app, for example an app for e-commerce marketplace GROUPON. Prior
art methods also provide for merchants to manage redemption through
a device provided by the distributor (e.g., e-commerce marketplace
GROUPON), however this method still requires a manual entry or
other input, such as by scanning a bar code; another process
provides for a device provided by the distributor at merchant
locations at the POS that employs proximity-based detection if a
user of a mobile app is present (e.g. an app for e-commerce
marketplace GROUPON), and if so, it facilitates redemption of the
electronic voucher.
[0182] By contrast to the prior art, the present invention systems
and methods facilitate redemption of offers and incentives
("deals"), including those provided by third party distributors
(such as e-commerce marketplace GROUPON), by allowing consumer
users to link the offer to their payment card account.
Advantageously, the present invention provides for a transaction at
one merchant to activate an incentive, offer, or reward redeemable
at a second merchant in the platform. The two merchants optionally
have an agreement under the platform for these "referral"
incentives, offers, or rewards. Incentives, offers, or rewards are
also issued according to one embodiment of the present invention in
connection with making a reservation and/or making an order for
goods or services, by way of example and not limitation, ordering
food delivery, food pickup, a ride from a transportation app (e.g.,
UBER, LYFT), a taxi, or any other order for goods and/or services.
There are several methods providing for redemption of offers and
incentives and for managing redemption. By way of example, a
consumer user purchases an offer through a deal distributor (e.g.,
online marketplace AMAZON LOCAL), wherein the deal is provided by a
third party on behalf of a merchant; the system provides an
electronic voucher by transmitting a message or presenting on a GUI
of a computer display or mobile communications device, such as a
smartphone, wherein the consumer user receives an electronic
voucher including a code or link having an identifier; the consumer
user, via a website interactive GUI or mobile device app, enters
the identifier if already a member of the platform, or if not a
member first registers or joins the platform; the system
automatically associates or links the offer or deal represented by
the inputted identifier with the consumer user profile on the
platform, and with any enrolled payment card accounts associated
with the platform; the redemption is automatically executed by the
platform of the present invention with the next transaction by the
consumer user with the merchant using an enrolled payment card
account. In another example, the method steps are similar to the
first example described above, however, the user at the time of
presentation of the offer or deal to the merchant has not yet
linked the offer to their payment card account; in this example,
the system accepts the identifier via at least one input mechanism
or device at the merchant location, physical and/or virtual; in one
embodiment, the consumer user inputs the identifier in a tablet
computer that presents platform, with or without branding or
identifier of the merchant's customer rewards program; this overall
redemption facilitation mechanism is also used to track customer
spend behavior and data capture, and provides a way to communicate
with the consumer user in the future even if the merchant does not
have a structured rewards program. In this use case example, the
consumer user enrolls in the platform by providing a communication
attribute (by way of example and not limitation, email, and/or
phone number for text message) and electronic payment account
number or identifier (e.g., enrollment is activated by the step of
providing input via swiping on a card reader or magnetic strip
mechanism, touch or proximity activation mechanism, smart chip,
etc., or other mechanism including but not limited to providing a
photo or digital image of the user); an action is taken to link the
presented offer to the users Spring account, for example, in an
automated method with code entry, bar code scan, QR code scan, or a
just a button or GUI interactive selection to "Link Offer";
thereafter, the consumer user completes a purchase transaction with
the merchant using an enrolled payment card account, and the
platform administers redemption as described hereinabove. Another
use case example provides for the merchant not to utilize this
platform redemption mechanism to manage the crediting portion of
the redemption of the incentive, but instead deducts the value of
the incentive from the customer's transaction at the time in-store.
So, in this case, the platform does not automatically manage the
redemption or crediting of the incentive back to the consumer
user's payment card account. But since the consumer user is
enrolled then the platform will automatically track and report
their payment behavior with their payment card account so that the
platform and the merchant may track customer spend related to the
redemption transaction and downstream. Notably, in addition to
enabling redemption by linking an offer to the payment card
account, the merchant also automatically through the platform
obtains a member in its customer loyalty or rewards program and/or
database and the consumer user obtains the benefits of this
membership.
[0183] Another redemption mechanism provided by the present
invention is the combination of a payment card account mechanism
with a software application to a specific "item-level" product or
service. Notably, the prior art payment card account data streams
on their own do not identify the exact item or product purchased
for any given transaction. The present invention provides for
automatic redemption of these specific item-level transactions
which are specific to a product or service, through the various
mechanisms described herein. By way of example and not limitation,
one category of mechanisms provides for a member of the merchant
staff to confirm a purchase by the user of the eligible item,
product, and/or service through a predetermined, platform-supported
mechanism, such as activation of a code, button, functional
identifier, virtual button, GUI input identifier, active icon,
etc., on a tablet computer or consumer user's mobile communications
device or smartphone software application (app), etc. Another
category includes platform integration with an item level data
source, such as the merchant's POS or branded loyalty platform;
preferably, the systems and methods of the present invention
provide for automatically creating a multiplicity of customer user
accounts on the platform wherein the merchant has aggregated its
proprietary customer user account information from a loyalty
program, a rewards program, a customer mailing list, etc. by
importing the aggregated data by the at least one server computer
and/or database associated with the systems, methods, and platform
of the present invention.
[0184] Yet another redemption mechanism provided by the present
invention is redemption based on location (is the offer accepted at
the store where the user transacted?), transaction date (is the
offer still valid and not blacked out on the given date?),
transaction time (offers can be setup to be good at only set times
of the day), minimum purchase (is the transaction amount sufficient
to redeem the offer?).
[0185] Purchase Financing
[0186] For brick-and-mortar stores, it has heretofore been
difficult to provide point-of-sale financing to consumers. Some
businesses provide opportunities for financing by providing systems
through point of sale (POS) terminals; however, these systems often
require several minutes to fill out personal information, wait for
loan approval, and agree to terms of a loan. In contrast, the
present invention provides a new system with no analog before the
advent of the internet or computer technology and provides a
solution to the problem of the laborious process of signing up for
loans at a POS by providing a streamlined system that does not
require a long sign-up and approval process. Additionally, while
some online systems have implemented financing options that are
available at online checkout, the systems do not extend to
point-of-sale systems for in-store counterparts, they do not
provide for shopping behavior tracking between online and in-store
customers, and these systems do not provide for financing options
for additional, non-enrolled merchants.
[0187] In one embodiment, a financing system detects that a
purchase has been made by a consumer and detects a corresponding
charge applied to the consumer's account. In response, the
financing system provides financing options for the purchase. In
this embodiment, when the system detects a purchase has been made
(via a POS system, web browser, or other gateway or processor), the
system delivers a communication to the consumer via the point of
sale, web browser, email, text message, or other avenue of
communication, wherein the communication includes an offer to
finance the transaction (e.g., through deferred payment, including
a variety of potential deferred payment schedules such as monthly
payments, payments over a preset number of installments at
specified time intervals, wherein the payments are charged with or
without interest). If the offer is declined, the system makes no
financing action. In the event that a consumer accepts the
financing offer, a full amount of the purchase is refunded to the
consumer's account and a credit or deferred payment account is
opened with the financing system for the consumer. The consumer is
then billed according to terms of the financing agreement.
[0188] The systems and methods of the present invention provide for
customer spend data to be automatically obtained directly from the
electronic payment card networks or associations (e.g., VISA,
MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, or DISCOVER); additionally or
alternatively, data is acquired from issuers or processors of the
electronic payment cards. Upon detection of the spend data, the
financing system delivers a communication to a consumer based on
device or contact information associated with the account number of
the spend data. In one embodiment, if the account number (e.g., the
credit card number, debit card number, device identification
number, or other identifying information attached to the
transaction) is not registered within the system, the system is
operable to automatically enroll the account number with the system
and create a consumer profile for the consumer account number.
Based on contact information in a new consumer profile or in an
existing consumer profile, the system transmits a financing offer.
For example, the contact information in one embodiment includes at
least one of an email address, a phone number, a device
identification number, or a consumer profile identifier. The
financing offer is operable to be transmitted via a text message,
phone call, email, push notification, instant message, pop-up
within a mobile application, notification through a POS system, or
any other communication method that is operable to reach a consumer
associated with a consumer profile. The financing system is
operable to receive a response to the communication, for example a
packet transmission via "accept" or "reject" buttons within a
mobile application, a text message response, a push-tone over a
phone call, or other form of communication. The financing offer
further includes terms of the financing, including a message, an
indication of an approved loan amount, an interest rate, a
repayment plan, a minimum monthly payment, or any other terms
required for financing the purchase. Additionally, the financing
offer is operable to include multiple financing options. For
example, the financing options in one embodiment include: monthly
payments for 3 months at an annual interest rate (APR) of 20%,
monthly payments for 6 months at an APR of 21%, or monthly payments
for 12 months at an APR of 22%. Each option includes an indication
of the calculated monthly payments, total interest, and total
future amount to be paid. In one embodiment, financing offers
further include at least one of a cash back offer, a discount
offer, or any other offer, incentive, or reward operable to be
paired with the transaction. In a further embodiment, a financing
offer further includes one or more of a benefit, offer, incentive,
reward, or discount in combination with one or more financing
options (e.g., a fixed discount with payments at a 20% interest
rate, four quarterly payments at 10% interest rate, or a 15%
discount for two payments at 0% APR). Notably, time periods for
repayment and payment plans are operable to be adjusted or
calculated to meet any desired length of time by a merchant and/or
a consumer. For example, in one embodiment, a merchant sets three
different payment plans available to a consumer, including a 30-day
delayed payment plan, an installment payment plan with the
following terms--25% at the time of the purchase and three 25%
installments two, four and six weeks later, and a monthly
installment plan over a preset number of selected months. In
another embodiment, installment plans are offered in quarterly,
bi-annual, annual, and semi-annual options. In a further
embodiment, the financing offer is operable to be governed by a set
financing formula, wherein the system is operable to receive input
from a consumer identifying a desired delayed payment time and/or a
payment plan installment, and wherein the system operable to
calculate an interest rate and/or an upfront cost based on the set
financing formula and the consumer desired payment time and/or
desired payment plan installment.
[0189] Accounts are identified by the platform, in one embodiment,
by matching a payment method, a phone number, consumer account
information, consumer profile information, a name, an address, a
user name, a digital wallet address, or any other identifying
information to stored user data and/or consumer accounts and/or
consumer profiles.
[0190] In another embodiment, the platform provides a "Buy Now, Pay
Later" financing option, wherein payment for a transaction is not
charged or approved for a set time frame. The time frame is
determined, for example, by a preset time interval offer from the
merchant or by shipping, handling, or delivery progress or
notification, or by terms and agreements for installment or
financing payments. In one embodiment, the platform is in network
connection with at least one shipping, handling, and/or delivery
service, wherein credits, debits, withdraws, holds, offers,
incentives, or rewards for an account are governed by rules
associated with package purchasing and fulfillment. For example,
the platform provides an offer to purchase an item using a
connected payment account at a 10% discount when using a "Buy Now,
Pay Later." Upon acceptance and purchase of the offer via an
enrolled account, the platform is operable to credit the account
for an amount of the purchase. Upon receiving an indication that
the item has been fulfilled and delivered to a final destination or
by reaching a preset time interval, the platform is operable to
charge the account for 90% of the total transaction amount.
Financing offers or other offers, incentives, and/or rewards are
operable to include any variation of terms, amounts, time frames,
values, or combinations known in the art of digital incentives or
consumer finance. For example, the offer, incentive, or reward is
one of: a cash back fixed amount, a cash back percentage of a
transaction, a fixed rate financing offer, a variable rate
financing offer, a delayed or no-interest financing offer (e.g., a
0% interest offer), a daily payment plan, a quarterly payment play,
a yearly payment plan, a payment plan with an upfront cost, a
payment plan with variable payment amounts, or installment
payments.
[0191] The platform is operable to target financing and installment
offers based on user purchase or spending history, location data,
browsing activity, demographics, number of payment methods,
enrolled payment accounts, enrolled loyalty systems, frequency of
system interaction, frequency of payment method or loyalty system
usage, qualifications identified by loyalty system or third
parties, analytics based on platform usage, or any other method of
identifying and targeting users for an offer, incentive, or reward
known in the art of digital marketing and advertising. For example,
the platform is operable to identify a user with a loyalty account
to Merchant T and with a credit score of 650 or other internal
credit criteria or model utilized by the platform, and based on
this information provide an offer for financing a future purchase
at Merchant T. In another embodiment, based on a received request
from a Merchant W account, the platform is operable to facilitate
and communicate a financing offer and a 10% cash back offer to
users who are enrolled in the platform but are not enrolled in the
Merchant W's loyalty system and/or who do not have a private label
payment method.
[0192] Alternatively, a consumer is operable to initiate a
transaction, register with the system, and set up financing with
the financing system through a POS computer device, such as a
tablet. For example, a consumer is operable to swipe a credit card
at a POS tablet, and if the card number is registered with the
system, the tablet presents a financing offer from the financing
system, which the consumer can accept or decline. If the card
number is not registered with the system, the tablet is operable to
either enroll the card number within the system automatically or
upon manual request from the tablet user. The system is further
operable to offer via the tablet a financing offer prior to
registration with the system.
[0193] Notably, the present invention provides for the initiation
of financing through any merchant, even those not registered with
the system, since the system is based on detecting a transaction
history of a consumer and interfacing and financing with the
consumer directly. In one embodiment, the system is operable to
detect consumer spend data at non-enrolled merchants by interfacing
with electronic payment card networks or associations (e.g., VISA,
MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, or DISCOVER) and send a notification
to the consumer with financing options.
[0194] Spend data is further not limited to POS interactions but
additionally includes website-based transactions. In one
embodiment, a merchant website includes a gateway that is in
network communication with the financing system. Upon detecting an
initiation of a transaction through the website, the system is
operable to offer financing options to the consumer. If an account
number provided to the website is enrolled with the system and
associated with a consumer profile, the financing system is
operable to send a notification to the consumer indicating
financing options. If the account number is not enrolled with the
system, the system is operable to automatically enroll the account
number or enroll the account number based on manual input from a
website consumer. In addition, the system is operable to provide
financing offers prior to registration.
[0195] In one embodiment, the financing system does not include
access to financial accounts directly but instead connects the
consumer profile to at least one external entity, such as a bank or
other financial institution, for handling the payments and
financing. Alternatively, the financing system includes access to a
system-controlled financial account and is operable to credit and
charge a consumer-controlled financial account associated with at
least one consumer profile. In one embodiment, the full amount of
the purchase is credited to a bank account or credit account
associated with the purchase, and payments are setup to
automatically charge a required amount at an agreed upon interval.
In another embodiment, a portion of the purchase amount is credited
to the bank account or credit account, a bill or invoice is
communicated to the consumer associated with the consumer profile
at the agreed upon interval, and the consumer then manually pays
the required amount.
[0196] The financing system further provides banks, other payment
card issuers and/or third-party financing systems to provide direct
methods for financing purchases. In one embodiment, a bank detects
that a purchase has been made on a line of credit held by a client.
The bank is able to send a financing offer through the Spring
platform or directly to the device indicating an approved financing
amount, terms, and conditions. Upon acceptance, a full amount of
the purchase is refunded to the credit line, and a charge is
applied from the Spring platform based on the financing terms of
the offer (e.g., monthly payments at 20% APR). In a further
embodiment, when a bank detects a charge through a debit card to a
checking or savings account, the bank or the platform is operable
to approve the account holder instantly, whereas when a credit card
or credit line is used, the platform or bank determines a financing
offer (or determines not to provide a financing offer) based on
past credit history, a credit score, or other financial analytics
corresponding to the financial account holder.
[0197] Some embodiments of the invention include financing offers
that are generated and transmitted before a purchase is made. For
example, in one embodiment, the financing system is operable to
transmit a financing offer to a consumer of a consumer profile
including a pre-approved loan amount and interest rate. The
financing offer is also operable to be linked to a specific
merchant, store, geographic location, or time period. In one
embodiment, a consumer receives an offer through an application on
a mobile device, wherein the offer indicates that the consumer is
approved for a loan of $1,000 at an annual percentage rate (APR) of
0% when shopping at the store Crate & Barrel. In another
embodiment, the offer indicates that the consumer is approved for a
loan of $2,000 at an APR of 0% at stores within Woodfield Mall
shopping mall.
[0198] FIG. 87 illustrates a diagram of one embodiment of the
financing offer, wherein a consumer enrolled in the platform of the
present invention makes a purchase with an enrolled payment card at
an in-store merchant and an offer for financing is presented to a
mobile device of the consumer. In this embodiment, the consumer
already has a line of credit open with the system, which allows the
consumer to accept the financing instantly.
[0199] FIG. 88 illustrates another diagram of one embodiment of the
financing offer, wherein a consumer enrolled in the platform of the
present invention makes a purchase with an enrolled credit card
with an in-store merchant and an offer for financing is presented
to a mobile device via email, text message, website, push
notification, chat message, or any other method of delivering the
financing offer to the mobile device, a website, or other medium of
digital communication. In this embodiment, the consumer does not
already have a line of credit open with the system, requiring the
consumer to apply for financing before the system will provide a
financing offer.
[0200] FIG. 89 illustrates another diagram of one embodiment of the
financing offer, wherein the system is operable to offer the
consumer a financing offer before making a purchase. In one
embodiment, the financing offer is presented to the consumer based
on determined in-store or online browsing and purchasing
behavior.
[0201] The financing system is operable to calculate loans
independently or communicate with third party systems in order to
determine an approved loan amount and interest rate. For example,
in one embodiment, the financing system is in network communication
with a credit bureau system and is operable to request a credit
report corresponding to an individual associated with a consumer
account. Based on an obtained credit report, an identification of
the amount currently loaned to the consumer by the system, and a
payment history of the consumer through the system, the financing
system is operable to calculate a risk score and determine whether
to offer a loan to a consumer account, the amount of the loan, the
interest rate of the loan, a payment plan for the loan, and any
other financing terms. In another embodiment, loan history
information about the consumer is transmitted to a third party
system, and the third party system handles the calculation and
formulation of loan terms. The third party then communicates the
loan calculation and terms to the system, to another party
financing the loan, or directly to the consumer.
[0202] Additionally, the system is operable to integrate with an
external rewards, offers, or incentives program and facilitate
redemption of offers, incentives, and rewards corresponding to
enrolled merchants based on financial activity. In one embodiment,
a consumer financial account is operable to be linked to a merchant
for redemption of offers corresponding to rewards points that were
accrued through use of a financial account and a card supplied by a
bank. For example, the Spring platform or an issuing bank is
operable to provide an inventive offer, wherein a consumer is
provided an option for linking a credit card to an offer from Bed
Bath & Beyond allowing redemption of 1000 rewards points for a
20 dollar reward that will then be applied to a transaction through
the merchant in real time or near-real time via a subsequent
execution of an account or statement credit. Notably, this occurs
in a more streamlined manner than traditional rewards services
through credit cards. Whereas in other systems, an offer (e.g., a
5% off reward for purchases at BestBuy) is redeemed by a user, a
purchase is made, and a significant period of time later the reward
amount is credited to the financial account (e.g., a 5 dollar
credit from a 100 dollar purchase), the present invention provides
for instant redemption of offers through the Spring platform, which
detects in real-time a purchase made with an associated consumer
account and automatically applies the redeemed offer, reward, or
incentive to the consumer financial account. In a further
embodiment, merchants are operable to provide offers, incentives,
and rewards directly to the consumer account without redeeming an
additional offer, reward, or incentive through the payment card
issuer (e.g., through a rewards points program). In one example,
Brookstone provides an offer to a consumer account through the
Spring platform for a $30 discount on an in-store purchase. Upon
acceptance of the offer by a consumer of an enrolled consumer
account and detection of a qualifying purchase, the amount is
automatically provided as a reward or "cash back" to the consumer
account by the Spring platform, and an amount of rewards points are
deducted from the rewards points balance of the enrolled consumer
account based on the provided offer. In one embodiment, cash back
and other financial rewards are provided in one embodiment by the
Spring platform directly, wherein other rewards entities provide
equivalent compensatory payment to the Spring platform. In an
alternative embodiment, the Spring platform acts as an intermediary
system between the consumer account and the merchant, bank, or
other entity, wherein the Spring platform facilitates
notifications, requests for payment, and settlement of payment
between two parties. In one embodiment, the Spring platform
interfaces with a merchant processor, payment network (e.g., a card
association including VISA, DISCOVER, AMERICAN EXPRESS), or bank to
indicate transaction, credit, debit, or withdraw amount for a
specific account or consumer, wherein the merchant processor,
payment network, and/or the bank handles execution of the
transaction, credit, debit, or withdraw amount.
[0203] FIG. 90 illustrates one embodiment of the offers, rewards,
and incentives redemption system, wherein a consumer is operable to
link an offer to a consumer account based on rewards points accrued
by the consumer and provided by a credit issuing bank. The system
is operable to present a list of offers, rewards, and incentives
available to a consumer account according to available points or
relevant merchants according to consumer behavior analytics. Once a
reward is linked to the account, a corresponding amount of "cash
back" is redeemed on the purchase, and a corresponding amount of
points deducted from the consumer accounts rewards points balance.
For example, in one embodiment, credit card rewards points from a
financial institution, such as AMERICAN EXPRESS, are operable to be
redeemed through the platform and an offer, incentive, or reward
applied to the platform user account directly. Upon detecting or
determining a transaction is made, the platform is operable to
automatically apply or credit an enrolled payment account based on
the redeemed offer, incentive, or reward. In an alternative
embodiment, a rewards points offer is generated and provided by a
non-financial entity. In one example, an enrolled STARBUCKS
merchant provides an offer to a consumer account allowing points
accrued through purchases at STARBUCKS to be redeemed at an APPLE
store. Upon detection of a transaction with the consumer account at
a location with a redeemed offer, any cash back or other offers,
incentives, or rewards are applied to the consumer account and/or
the transaction directly.
[0204] FIG. 92 illustrates one embodiment of a financing offer,
incentive, or reward for a specific merchant. In one embodiment,
the platform provides a "Buy Now, Pay Later" promotion to a
registered user, wherein the platform is operable to identify a
user account meeting desired criteria (e.g., criteria based on
spending habits, credit history, credit score, determined physical
locations, web browsing activity, shopping patterns, determined
demographics) and notify a user of an offer, incentive, or reward.
The illustrated embodiment depicts a financing offer, wherein the
platform is operable to open or apply a $1,000 line of credit for a
specific user account, and wherein the platform is operable to
reimburse a purchase on a payment card and/or provide payment
through the system directly. For example, in one embodiment, the
platform provides a financing offer for use at a specific merchant
to at least one user account, and upon receiving notification of
acceptance of the offer, the offer is attached or associated with
the at least one account. Upon detection of transaction with a
payment method associated with the at least one account at the
specific merchant, the platform is operable to credit the account
for the transaction amount and begin financing operations according
to the preset conditions of the financing offer (e.g., the card is
not charged any payment for 6 months and/or is charged installments
with or without interest). Alternatively, the platform is operable
to directly handle purchases, wherein a digital, virtual, or
physical payment method is directly linked to the consumer account
of the platform, and wherein purchases, offers, incentives, and/or
rewards are redeemed and charged via with the digital, virtual, or
physical payment method. Additional attachment payment methods are
operable to be charged for any financing or purchasing operations.
For example, a user account includes a credit of $5 for a first
merchant. Payment at the merchant with a platform-based digital
card automatically redeems the $5 credit, and any amount in a
transaction that is greater than the $5 is passed along to a second
payment method (e.g., a credit card, debit card, or digital wallet)
also associated with the user account.
[0205] FIG. 93 illustrates another embodiment of a "Buy Now, Pay
Later" system, wherein upon redemption of the financing offer, a
notification is sent to a user account via email, text message,
chat message, postal mail, phone call, or any other alert mechanism
including a confirmation of the financing offer redemption as well
as terms for the financing offer. In one embodiment, the financing
offer is presented to a user before making a purchase. For example,
the financing offer is targeted based on consumer profile
information, such as browsing history, purchase history, physical
location history, demographics, etc., wherein the user account is
preapproved based on these profile characteristics. In another
embodiment, the financing offer is presented to a user upon
detection of a purchase at a merchant. For example, in one
embodiment, the platform determines a transaction has been made at
Merchant T for $500 with a payment method associated with a user
account. Upon determining that the user account qualifies for a
financing offer, the platform communicates the financing offer to
the user account. Upon receiving an acceptance of the financing
offer, the platform credits that payment method according to the
terms of the financing offer (e.g., a credit of the full amount of
the transaction, a credit of 25% of the transaction, a credit of a
specific monetary value ($10), or any other financing agreement
known in the art). Notably, the financing offer is further operable
to be any offer, incentive, or reward known in the art of digital
marketing.
[0206] FIGS. 94 and 95 illustrates one embodiment of a customized
financing offer through the platform according to one embodiment of
the present invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiment,
after detecting or determining that a transaction has been made,
the platform is operable to send a notification to at least one
user offering financing options. In one embodiment, payments are
operable to be based on any offers dictated by the merchant, the
platform, or other managing account. For example, a "Get it first.
Pay Later." embodiment provides two options from the platform,
including an option for delaying payment until 14 days after a
confirmed delivery of an item and an option for delaying payment
for multiple months with an added fee or surcharge. In an
installment embodiment, the platform provides a fixed rate for
monthly payments to finance the purchase, wherein the platform is
further operable to calculate and charge interest based on the
payments and the purchase amount. Upon selection of either of any
of the financing options presented, the platform is operable to
reimburse a payment method according to the financing agreement
terms selected. For example, if an upfront payment is required that
is 25% of a purchase, the platform is operable to credit the
payment method for 75% of the purchase and charge the payment
method for further payments according to the financing offer
selected. Notably, the platform is operable to perform these
operations for both physical, in-store transactions as well as
digital or online transactions.
[0207] Preferably, the platform is operable to offer a method of
paying via the platform instead of paying via a traditional payment
method. For example, in one embodiment, the platform is operable to
identify an authorization transaction and/or identify a payment
method of at least one user, and following the identification, the
platform is operable to prompt a user (via a POS terminal, tablet,
mobile device, website, pop-up etc.) to pay with funds, rewards,
cash back, points, or other equivalent balances and incentives
attached to the at least one account. If the platform receives an
acceptance of this prompt, the corresponding offer, incentive,
reward, funds, cash, points, or other balance is adjusted and/or
redeemed, and any corresponding amount of the transaction is
reduced and/or processed through the platform directly. In another
embodiment, the platform intercepts a transaction, wherein a
purchase is not passed through the payment method directly, but
instead the transaction is transferred to the platform, and a user
account is charged through the platform either immediately or
according to any offer, incentive, reward, financing offer, or
installment offer.
[0208] FIG. 96 illustrates one embodiment of a cash back rewards
program, wherein the platform is operable to offer redemption of
points, currency, cash, cash-value credit, and/or other rewards
managed by the platform, external loyalty systems, third party
rewards systems, merchant-specific programs, and/or other offers,
incentives, and rewards programs. The platform is operable to make
this offer available to consumers by communicating, activating,
and/or redeeming the offer based on a targeted marketing campaign
and/or following a determined purchase (e.g., directly converting a
redeemed rewards currency or points into a cash value credit for
the transaction and/or applying the redeemed rewards currency or
points after a transaction has processed).
[0209] FIG. 97 illustrates a loyalty program for a specific
merchant, wherein rewards are offered based on spend activity; for
example, after $250 of spend activity, a $10 credit is associated
with the user account, applied to a transaction, redeemed,
activated, or otherwise enabled. In another example, credits,
rewards, points, or other offers, incentives, or rewards are
applied based on a percent of a purchase or spend amount; for
example, rewards and/or points are earned at a rate of 5% for every
$1 spent. A key aspect of platform includes, in one embodiment,
tracking spend activity across all payment methods on a user
account for one or more loyalty or rewards programs, including
private label credit card (PLCC) payment methods, and non-PLCC
payment methods. Additionally, the loyalty program is operable to
more broadly engage the user and, for example integrate with user
feedback, survey, and analytics tools, wherein spend activity
and/or activity within the platform (e.g., reward redemption) is
captured, analyzed, and/or triggers, for example, a user survey to
be communicated to the user account (e.g., via email, text message,
chat message, postal mail, phone call, or push notification). The
platform is operable to manage and communicate rewards progress for
each merchant individually and as a whole, and the platform is
operable to manage and trigger surveys or other communication via
email, text or SMS, native application on mobile devices or to a
web site. In one embodiment, the feedback and ratings are received
via a mobile application or website via a GUI with selectors,
sliders, buttons, or any other element known in the art of user
experience design, as illustrated in FIG. 97.
[0210] FIG. 98 illustrates one embodiment of a co-brand,
dual-brand, or private label payment method registration system. In
one embodiment, the platform is operable to detect and/or determine
a purchase using at least one registered payment method for a user
account and, upon determining availability of a branded (co-brand,
dual-brand, private label, etc.) payment method (e.g., a private
label credit card for the merchant), the platform is operable to
generate a notification and system for registration for the branded
payment method. The platform is operable to offer with the
notification and registration system at least one offer, incentive,
or reward that is tied to or separate from rewards of the branded
payment method. For example, in one embodiment, the platform
notifies the user of a financing offer enabled by transferring the
purchase to a private label credit card. Upon detection that the
private label credit card is not associated with the targeted user
account, the platform is operable to offer an application and/or
registration mechanism for obtaining the private label credit card,
wherein the platform and/or the registration method is operable to
capture, receive, and/or transmit user personal information
necessary for determining approval for the credit card and/or for
registration. Once the private label credit card has been added to
the user account and/or the user account has been approved, the
financing offer is presented to the user account. The financing
offer is alternatively any offer, incentive, or reward known in the
art. In one embodiment, the registration method and/or any offers,
incentives, or rewards captures information and registers a user
account for a loyalty system in addition to or instead of a branded
payment method.
[0211] Connected Payment Accounts
[0212] Notably, the platform of the present invention is operable,
in one embodiment, to enroll one or more payment accounts (e.g., an
account number such as a credit card or debit card number) with the
platform and associate the one or more payment accounts with a user
account and/or a user profile. The platform is further operable to
debit, credit, hold funds, verify transactions, and track and
analyze payment activity across each of the connected payment
accounts. In one embodiment, the platform is operable to credit a
first payment account for the amount of a recent transaction and
charge a second account for a corresponding amount, wherein the
corresponding amount is, for example, a full amount of the
transaction, 25% of the transaction, 50% of the transaction, the
amount of a first payment in a financed offer, the amount of a down
payment on a financed offer, or a fee corresponding to a financed
offer. For example, in one embodiment, a user makes a purchase at
Merchant T using a first enrolled credit card. The platform
generates and communicates an incentive offer of 5% off for using
Credit Card T, a Private Label Credit Card (PLCC) tied to Merchant
T. If the user has an enrolled Credit Card T and the offer is
accepted, the platform credits an amount of the full transaction to
the first enrolled credit card, and an amount equal to 95% percent
of the transaction amount is charged to Credit Card T. If the user
does not have an enrolled Credit Card T, the platform is operable
to provide a system for applying or registering for the card.
Notably, the incentive offer is operable to be any offer,
incentive, reward, or financing terms, as disclosed herein; the
transactions are operable to occur via one or more financial
transaction and settlement institutions (e.g., a gateway,
processing network, bank, or clearing house); and the platform is
operable to apply, debit, withdraw, or communicate one or more flat
or rate-based fees during each of these transactions.
[0213] Notably, PLCC embodiments of the present invention, dual
card embodiments (e.g., PLCC with purchases not locked to a
particular merchant or a PLCC with offers, incentives, and rewards
specific to a merchant), and/or co-branded embodiments (e.g., PLCC
with purchases locked to one or more merchants or a PLCC with
offers, incentives, or rewards specific to two or more merchants)
are advantageous over traditional payment systems, wherein lines of
credit and payment accounts are digitally managed by multiple
different entities and/or have no interoperability for managing
purchase financing, offers, incentives, or rewards. Particularly,
the platform of the present invention provides, in one embodiment,
a way to seamlessly transfer payments between financial accounts
seamlessly and in real time or near-real time as well as facilitate
digital offers, incentives, rewards, and purchase financing.
[0214] In another embodiment, the platform provides a multi-tender
loyalty system by managing points, offers, incentives, and rewards
transfers between connected payment accounts and loyalty accounts.
For example, a user account with either or both of an enrolled or
non-enrolled PLCC credit card and/or an enrolled non-PLCC credit
card is able to earn rewards offered under the PLCC credit card
program even when paying with the non-PLCC credit card. In one
embodiment, the payment methods provide offers, rewards, or
incentives at different rates. For example, a purchase at Merchant
T with a Merchant T PLCC credit card awards $5 of rewards currency
value to the user account, whereas a purchase at Merchant T with a
non-PLCC credit card awards $1 of rewards currency value to the
user account. In another embodiment, the platform is further
operable to manage and credit a loyalty system (e.g., a rewards
currency based system, a points-based system, a cash-back system)
based on purchases from either or both PLCC accounts and non-PLCC
accounts, wherein transactions through merchant-locked payment
methods and non-merchant locked payment methods are converted or
translated into loyalty program offers, incentives, and/or rewards.
For example, upon detecting, processing, or receiving a purchase
from either a Merchant T PLCC and/or a non-PLCC credit card, the
platform is operable to adjust an amount of loyalty points from a
Merchant T loyalty account. Notably, the offers, incentives, and
rewards further include financing and installment offers; payment
accounts include debit accounts, credit accounts, digital payment
methods, virtual currency, cryptocurrency, loyalty points, or other
accounts operable to manage purchase or redemption transactions;
and the multi-tender system is not constricted to only a single
merchant. For example, in one embodiment, purchases at Merchant W
with a PLCC or dual card for Merchant T earn offers, incentives,
and rewards for Merchant T and Merchant W. Further, the platform is
operable to offer a $10 reward for a Merchant W loyalty account for
using a financing option on a purchase at Merchant T using a
Merchant T PLCC.
[0215] Payments, statement credits, instant credits, instant
debits, batch credits, batch debits, deposits, withdraws, holds,
and other financial operations of the present invention are, in one
embodiment, performed via any financial processing system, such as
via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network (payment rails),
wire transfer, Same Day ACH, real time or near-real time payment
(RTP) systems (e.g., VISA DIRECT, INSTAPAY, THE CLEARING HOUSE
RTP), including Peer-to-Peer (P2P) solutions such as PAYPAL, PAYPAL
INSTANT TRANSFER, VENMO, and ZELLE. In another embodiment, the
processes occur in conjunction with or entirely over a blockchain
payment network, such as BITCOIN, ETHERIUM, or LITECOIN. In one
embodiment, the blockchain payments or blockchain transactions
occur in real time or near-real time. In another embodiment, the
platform generates or manages payments and transactions via virtual
wallets, virtual payment accounts, virtual currency, digital
currency, or any other method of managing financial transactions
via a network.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0216] Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations
are for the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the
invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto.
[0217] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary virtualized computing system
for embodiments of the present invention loyalty and rewards
platform. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the
invention illustrating a computer system, generally described as
800, operating within a communications network 810 and a plurality
of computing devices 820, 830, 840. In one embodiment of the
invention, the computer system supporting the platform of the
present invention 800 includes a cloud-based network 810 for
distributed communication via the network's wireless communication
antenna 812 and processing by a plurality of mobile communication
computing devices 830. In another embodiment of the invention, the
computer system 800 is a virtualized computing system capable of
executing any or all aspects of software and/or application
components presented herein on the computing devices 820, 830, 840.
In certain aspects, the computer system 800 may be implemented
using hardware or a combination of software and hardware, either in
a dedicated computing device, or integrated into another entity, or
distributed across multiple entities or computing devices.
[0218] By way of example, and not limitation, the computing devices
820, 830, 840 are intended to represent various forms of digital
devices 820, 840, 850 and mobile devices 830, such as a server,
blade server, mainframe, mobile phone, a personal digital assistant
(PDA), a smart phone, a desktop computer, a netbook computer, a
tablet computer, a workstation, a laptop, and other similar
computing devices; distributed mobile communication devices, in
particular wireless network mobile computer communication devices
including but not limited to smartphone devices and tablet
computers are preferred at the time of the present invention for
use by consumer users as described herein for interfacing with the
platform. The components shown here in FIG. 1, their connections
and relationships, and their functions, are meant to be exemplary
only, and are not meant to limit implementations of the invention
described and/or claimed in this document.
[0219] In one embodiment, the computing device 820 includes
components such as a processor 860, a system memory 862 having a
random access memory (RAM) 864 and a read-only memory (ROM) 866,
and a system bus 868 that couples the memory 862 to the processor
860. In another embodiment, the computing device 830 may
additionally include components such as a storage device 890 for
storing the operating system 892 and one or more application
programs 894, a network interface unit 896, and/or an input/output
controller 898. Each of the components may be coupled to each other
through at least one bus 868. The input/output controller 898 may
receive and process input from, or provide output to, a number of
other devices 899, including, but not limited to, alphanumeric
input devices, mice, electronic styluses, display units, touch
screens, signal generation devices (e.g., speakers) or
printers.
[0220] By way of example, and not limitation, the processor 860 may
be a general-purpose microprocessor (e.g., a central processing
unit (CPU)), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microcontroller, a
Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated
Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a
Programmable Logic Device (PLD), a controller, a state machine,
gated or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any
other suitable entity or combinations thereof that can perform
calculations, process instructions for execution, and/or other
manipulations of information.
[0221] In another implementation, shown in FIG. 1, a computing
device 840 may use multiple processors 860 and/or multiple buses
868, as appropriate, along with multiple memories 862 of multiple
types (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a
plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in
conjunction with a DSP core).
[0222] Also, multiple computing devices may be connected, with each
device providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., a
server bank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor
system). Alternatively, some steps or methods may be performed by
circuitry that is specific to a given function.
[0223] According to various embodiments, the computer system 800
may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to
local and/or remote computing devices 820, 830, 840, 850 through a
network 810. A computing device 830 may connect to a network 810
through a network interface unit 896 connected to the bus 868.
Computing devices may communicate communication media through wired
networks, direct-wired connections or wirelessly such as acoustic,
RF or infrared through a wireless communication antenna 897 in
communication with the network's wireless communication antenna 812
and the network interface unit 896, which may include digital
signal processing circuitry when necessary. The network interface
unit 896 may provide for communications under various modes or
protocols.
[0224] In one or more exemplary aspects, the instructions may be
implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combinations
thereof. A computer readable medium may provide volatile or
non-volatile storage for one or more sets of instructions, such as
operating systems, data structures, program modules, applications
or other data embodying any one or more of the methodologies or
functions described herein. The computer readable medium may
include the memory 862, the processor 860, and/or the storage
device 890 and may be a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a
centralized or distributed computer system) that store the one or
more sets of instructions 900. Non-transitory computer readable
media includes all computer readable media, with the sole exception
being a transitory, propagating signal per se. The instructions 900
may further be transmitted or received over the network 810 via the
network interface unit 896 as communication media, which may
include a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other
transport mechanism and includes any delivery media. The term
"modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of its
characteristics changed or set in a manner as to encode information
in the signal.
[0225] Storage devices 890 and memory 862 include, but are not
limited to, volatile and non-volatile media such as cache, RAM,
ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH memory or other solid state memory
technology, disks or discs (e.g., digital versatile disks (DVD),
HD-DVD, BLU-RAY, compact disc (CD), CD-ROM, floppy disc) or other
optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk
storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that
can be used to store the computer readable instructions and which
can be accessed by the computer system 800. A database is
preferably included in the system and connected with at least one
server computer of the system described, wherein the database
stores consumer users' spend data, including product and/or
services for each purchase made with registered electronic payment
accounts, information about which are also stored on the
database.
[0226] It is also contemplated that the computer system 800 may not
include all of the components shown in FIG. 1, may include other
components that are not explicitly shown in FIG. 1, or may utilize
an architecture completely different than that shown in FIG. 1. The
various illustrative logical blocks, modules, elements, circuits,
and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments
disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware,
computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate
this interchangeability of hardware and software, various
illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have
been described above generally in terms of their functionality.
Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software
depends upon the particular application and design constraints
imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the
described functionality in varying ways for each particular
application (e.g., arranged in a different order or partitioned in
a different way), but such implementation decisions should not be
interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present
invention.
[0227] The present invention provides for advertising network and
"spring-loaded" ad units. These flow even if the user is not signed
up, with or without the card on file. They may flow if a user is
signed up, whether online and cookied electronically, and in
signed-in state or not. This provides a mechanism for gaining new
members, financed by the promoting merchant's funding of the
incentive and payment for the media.
[0228] The present invention provides for all capabilities that
online advertising networks have, plus additional payment
capabilities, including but not limited to targeting, advertisement
serving, etc. Prizes and games may also be included.
[0229] Location data is created in the present invention using one
or more hardware and/or software components. By way of example and
not limitation, location data is created using satellite-based
positioning systems (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS),
Differential GPS (DGPS), or Galileo), low energy Bluetooth based
systems such as beacons, wireless networks such as WiFi, Radio
Frequency (RF) including RF Identification (RFID), Near Field
Communication (NFC), magnetic positioning, cellular triangulation,
and/or combinations of these technologies. By way of example,
location data is determined via an Internet Protocol (IP) address
of a device connected to a wireless network. A wireless router is
also operable to determine identities of devices connected to the
wireless network through the router, and thus is operable to
determine the locations of these devices through their presence in
the connection range of the wireless router.
[0230] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of components of the
invention illustrating the consumer applications, merchant
applications, administrative applications, platform, hosted
services, a web tier, card enrollment services, network services
tier including member enrollment, transaction scoring, merchant
setup and offer setup modules, portal data synchronization
services, consumer users, merchant users or members, transaction
data providers and transaction processors. FIG. 2 illustrates one
embodiment of the present invention for illustrative purposes only;
it is an example implementation of the present invention system,
methods, and platform and is provided for illustration purposes and
is not intended to exclusively limit the claimed invention. The
following description corresponds to the FIG. 2 schematic
diagram.
[0231] Spring Consumer Applications are responsible for enrolling
new members and engaging with them. The Spring Tablet is a fast and
simple to use Member enrollment application. Tablets are native iOS
apps written in Objective-C, typically installed on iPad Mini 2's.
The Tablet uses ID Tech Uni-Mag 2 card readers and advanced DUKPT
(Dynamic Unique Key per Transaction) encryption algorithms that
guarantee secure communication with Spring's Card Enrollment
Services. Encrypted card data is transferred to endpoints in the
Spring Data Center and decrypted by a Key Appliance from
StrongAuth. The card reader preferably uses an audio jack of the
tablet or a lightning cable adapter to connect to the tablet. Upon
payment information being received at the tablet via a card reader,
an EMV reader, manual entry of payment information, or any other
payment method referenced above or known in the art, encrypted
payment information is added to a queue and sent over a network to
a platform database on a remote server computer. The queue solves
for issues where the tablet or the platform database does not have
internet connectivity.
[0232] The tablet is preferably configured to accept customer
enrollments remotely into different merchant reward programs and to
capture different data about the consumer and/or information about
merchant staff who promote signups via the tablet. In another
embodiment, the tablet is configured to request additional data
associated with enrollment and membership including but not limited
to a mobile phone number, account password, date of birth, and/or
merchant specific questions (favorite brand, team, etc) that can be
used for personalizing future marketing messages. In yet another
embodiment, the tablet is configured to enable a staff code to be
transmitted to the platform database to incentivize merchant staff
members to enroll consumers in the Rewards program. A shift mode
for the tablet is used in one embodiment to cause all enrollments
for the remainder of the shift to use the staff code.
Alternatively, the tablet prompts the merchant staff member to
enter the staff code after each customer enrollment. Preferably
enrollment data includes identifying customer information such as
email address, credit card, merchant location where the enrollment
occurs, tablet device identifiers, and staff identifiers.
[0233] Tablet computers capture and transmit Member emails, card
tokens and merchant enrollment data to the Spring Platform. The
SpringRewards.com web site (aka Member Portal) allows consumers to
sign-up for Spring, enroll their credit or debit cards, join
Merchant Rewards Programs, Claim Cash Back Offers and Gifts,
Purchase Advance Sale Offers, Invite Friends, View Offer Reward,
and Transaction Status, and Modify their profile. The responsively
designed web site is hosted in the cloud (e.g., at web hosting
service AWS) and built in Backbone.js, Bootstrap, HTML, CSS and
object-oriented programming languages (e.g., RUBY, JAVASCRIPT).
SpringRewards.com is supported by a RESTful set of web services
written in an object-oriented language (e.g., RUBY). Event driven
member SMS and email messages are delivered through cloud
communication platforms, including TWILIO and AMAZON SIMPLE EMAIL
SERVICES (SES).
[0234] Spring Mobile Apps Include Native ANDROID and IPHONE Mobile
Apps for Members.
[0235] These Apps provide push notifications, geo-location based
searching and geo-targeted offering capabilities. These native apps
are built using APACHE CORDOVA, HTML, CSS and object-oriented
programming languages (e.g., JAVASCRIPT). Spring Administrative
Applications enable Spring staff to manage the Spring Platform and
Operations.
[0236] Spring has customized Sales & Services Clouds and
integrated them with the Spring Platform. As Merchants and/or
Offers are closed through the sales process they can be added to
SpringRewards.com with a push of a button via custom integrations
built in APEX code.
[0237] Spring Members may open Service Cases or use Live Chat
directly from SpringRewards.com, which places these into the
platform's Service Cloud.
[0238] Campaign Planning Tool: the system supporting Spring
Marketing generates predetermined and/or custom offer sets for each
Spring Member for use in various campaigns using a rule based
relevancy engine. The custom offer sets are determined by scoring
all available offers using a custom rule engine that looks at
Geographic Data, and Consumer Behavior, Recency and Frequency data
to rank each offer. Offer sets can then be published to Spring's
Push Email Platform via the Campaign Planning Tool. The Campaign
Planning Tools are built in an object-oriented programming language
(e.g., RUBY) and run in the cloud (e.g., AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS)
cloud services).
[0239] The platform (Spring) Push Email Portal allows the platform
(Spring) to deliver mass promotional mailings to Spring and
Merchant email lists using the MyEmma platform. The Spring Platform
integrates with MyEmma in real time via an API that provides
membership data for targeting and segmentation. Opt-in and opt-out
data is also synchronized in real time. Campaign response data is
also synchronized with Spring's Merchant and Account Manager
Portals.
[0240] Data Synchronization Services are built in to be integrated
with the system and methods of the present invention and platform
as described hereinabove.
[0241] The Account Manager Portal allows Spring Staff to lookup
Spring Merchants and review key Membership, Program and Campaign
business Metrics.
[0242] The application may be hosted in the cloud at AWS and built
in Backbone.js, HTML, CSS and object-oriented programming languages
(e.g., RUBY, JAVASCRIPT).
[0243] The Business Intelligence Portal application provides Spring
Staff with pull and push reporting of key operational and business
metrics. The Spring Business Intelligence Portal is built on the
Logi Analytics platform.
[0244] The Member Services Portal allows Spring staff to
troubleshoot customer issues and perform basic customer service
functions. The application is hosted in the cloud at AWS and built
in Backbone.js, HTML, CSS and object-oriented programming languages
(e.g., RUBY, JAVASCRIPT).
[0245] Merchant Applications include a Merchant Portal, which
allows Spring Merchants to review key Membership, Rewards Program
and Campaign business Metrics.
[0246] The application is hosted in the cloud at AWS and built in
Backbone.] s, HTML, CSS and object-oriented programming languages
(e.g., RUBY, JAVASCRIPT).
[0247] Spring Push Email Portal. The Spring platform supports
Merchants who wish to deliver their own Newsletter or Communication
mailings using the MyEmma platform. The Spring Platform integrates
with MyEmma in real time via an API which provide membership data
for targeting and segmentation. Opt-in and opt-out data is also
synchronized in real time. Campaign response data is also
synchronized with Spring's Merchant and Account Manager
Portals.
[0248] Spring Platform Services include a Web Tier wherein all
Consumer, Merchant and Administrative applications are supported by
a variety of web services hosted in the Cloud, preferably at a
webhosting service, such as AMAZON WEB SERVICES, and is preferably
built in an object-oriented language (e.g., RUBY). The Web Tier is
also hosted on one or more server computers in one embodiment. The
Web Tier provides data and services to power platform websites,
Wi-Fi Captive portals, tablet kiosks, mobile apps, third party
partner sites, and other enterprise sites. The Web Tier also
handles consumer communication via emails and texts (SMS, MMS,
etc.). Preferably, the emails and/or texts are automated. The Web
Tier is preferably in communication with at least one remote
consumer device, a WiFi portal provider, ISP, a third party partner
site, and any other enterprise sites.
[0249] Network Services Tier includes the platform website,
SpringRewards.com, and the Web Tier is integrated with a back end
set of services collectively referred to as the Network Services
tier. The Network Services tier is preferably on one or more remote
server computers or is hosted on the cloud. The Network Services
tier provides integration of the Spring Platform with external
transaction providers and financial services parties having card
and account data, such as card networks VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN
EXPRESS, CARDSPRING, and TSYS. These services enroll Members and
Cards with the external partners, and are responsible for receiving
and scoring any type of transaction which is processed through the
external partners, including card swipe, EMV, NFC, RFID, account
entry, mobile payments via apps, or any other type of transactions
involving cards. The services receive notifications from these
partners once a transaction has occurred. One embodiment of
receiving and scoring a transaction processed through the external
partners includes the merchant POS or online portal sending an
authorization request to the external partner, the external partner
authorizing the transaction, the merchant POS or online portal
sending a transaction file to the external partner with enrollment
data or rewards, incentive, or offer redemption data, and the
external partner sending the enrollment data or rewards, incentive,
or offer redemption data and/or transaction data to the Network
Services tier of the platform for processing according to the rules
of the platform, including enrollment the account in the platform
and/or verifying the enrollment data with the external partners.
The Network Services tier is preferably built in JAVA, using the
Vert.x application framework. The Network Services tier handles
communication with data partners, including but not limited to,
merchants, financial service providers, and a WiFi portal provider
or ISP, and is responsible for card enrollment and processing
transaction notifications from data partners, enforcing redemption
rules, and issuing statement credit instructions.
[0250] Data is distributed and synchronized across the tiers via
messaging, preferably real-time or near real-time messaging.
[0251] Partner transaction notification files are preferably sent
once a day and contain information for all settled transactions
received at the partner for that business day. The files are
preferably transmitted via SFTP to a partner specified SFTP server
setup during the on-boarding process. The files are preferably tab
delimited or tab-separated. The files preferably include a merchant
ID, a consumer ID, a card token, a transaction time, a transaction
amount, and a transaction ID.
[0252] Spring Data Center: Card Enrollment Services are a special
class of Network Services and are hosted in the Spring Data Center
for PCI Compliance. Card Data is kept encrypted from point to point
and stored in a security key appliance from StrongAuth. Card Data
Services communicate with transaction providers during the
enrollment and un-enrollment processes.
[0253] Card Data Services communicate with transaction providers
during the enrollment and un-enrollment processes.
[0254] FIGS. 3-84 illustrate graphic user interface (GUI) diagrams
of embodiments of the invention (corresponds to GUIs from PPA).
[0255] Another embodiment of the present invention includes using a
WiFi captive web portal to enroll users in the platform of the
present invention. FIG. 85 and FIG. 86 illustrate two embodiments
of utilizing a WiFi captive web portal according to the present
invention. Upon receiving a request from an electronic user device
to access WiFi at a merchant location, a page is displayed on the
electronic user device which prompts entry of a credit or debit
card number and expiration date. Fields in which to enter an email
address and phone number are also preferably displayed on the page.
The page also displays fields for an existing user to enter an
email address and phone number to login to their account to access
WiFi. In one embodiment, registering with the platform or logging
into the platform is required to access the WiFi.
[0256] The credit or debit card number is preferably encrypted on
the electronic user device requesting WiFi access using public and
private key pairs. The platform database is operable to unencrypt
the credit or debit card number and enroll the associated card in
the platform. If enrollment in the platform is accomplished through
the WiFi captive portal, the enrollment is confirmed in real-time
via email, SMS, MMS, or other messaging. If more information or
confirmation of the user's wish to enroll is needed, an email, SMS,
MMS, or other messaging is used to prompt for this information or
confirmation of the user's wish to enroll. In another embodiment,
upon connecting to WiFi through the WiFi portal and not connecting
a card or account to the platform, an SMS message, email, MMS, or
other message is sent to the connected device or a provided phone
or email account 5 minutes after connecting to the WiFi portal or
signing up for the platform. Alternatively, the message is sent 10
minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2
hours, 4 hours, etc. after connecting to the WiFi portal or signing
up for the platform.
[0257] The WiFi portal preferably includes a field for a user to
enter a mobile number to enroll their mobile device. For a user who
has already provided a mobile number and wants to reconnect to the
WiFi, a cookie shows that the mobile number has been entered and
prevents the mobile number field from being displayed on the WiFi
portal or shows the mobile number field filled in with the mobile
number that has been entered. If a cookie shows that a mobile
number was once entered but is no longer on the back end of the
platform, the mobile number field is displayed on the portal.
[0258] Additionally, in one embodiment, a server in network
communication with a wireless network hotspot is operable to detect
and store a device identifier (ID) corresponding to a device
attempting to connect to the hotspot and/or a device within
detectable proximity of the wireless network hotspot. A device ID
includes any of: a Media Access Control (MAC) Address, Internet
Protocol (IP) address, a device name, a device serial number, or
any other identification information transmitted by a device within
a detectable proximity of the wireless network hotspot. Based on a
location technology such as satellite-based global positioning
signal provided by the device, a correlation of router location
with detection data corresponding to the device, communication with
wireless beacons, communication with a geofence server, etc., the
server is operable to track a location of the device and determine
shopping behaviors of device users in-store. For example, in one
embodiment, a wireless network hotspot router in Store A identifies
that Device A with MAC address A1-B2-C3-D4-E5-F6 attempts to
connect to the network. The server logs the MAC address with the
store location. The user logs into a Spring Account or provides an
account identifier (e.g., a credit card number, a debit card
number, a phone number, or an email address) through a captive web
portal, and if the account identifier is associated with a consumer
profile, the profile is updated to include the MAC address of the
device. Alternatively, the MAC address (or IP address) of the
device is associated with the consumer profile and/or account
identifier upon registr