Abstract: A transaction processor can receive transaction information from a transaction between a customer and a merchant. The transaction information includes an account identifier associated with a financial account of the customer. The processor determines that the account identifier is associated with a fixed price futures contract. The transaction is completed at the current market price. Thereinafter, the processor can determine if the fixed price is lower than the current market price. If the fixed price is lower than the current market price, the process determines the difference in cost for the transaction if the fixed price were used. Then, the processor can create and send a resettlement transaction to the customer's account to reimburse the customer for the difference. As such, the customer receives a simple method for paying for commodities at a set price without having special payment instruments or special accounts.

Abstract: An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an advertisement information providing system and an advertisement information providing method. According to the present invention, when a data addresser transmits data to a data addressee through a data transmitting server of a network service medium or when the data addressee receives data from the data addresser through a data receiving server of the network service medium, an advertisement matched with the field of interests of which the data addresser and the data addressee are the most interested is generated in real-time and the generated advertisement is transmitted to the data addresser or the data addressee.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of a combination group couponing and member-only product discounting system and methods.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which engage users and increase social interaction in group buying. Methods and systems may offer one or more discount coupons for sale in a plurality of geographic locations. The number of coupons sold in each geographic location may be determined, and the geographic locations where at least a predetermined minimum number of coupons have been sold may be selected. A discount amount for coupons sold in each of the selected geographic locations may be determined and set based at least in part on the number of coupons sold in each respective geographic location.

Abstract: Methods of communicating for advertising and for facilitating commercial transactions between businesses and consumers. Said methods are enabled by a software application that allows a consumer to dispatch an offer request to a service provider, wherein the offer request specifies an amount of money that the consumer intends to spend on a particular product category and a geographic area in which the consumer intends to make a purchase. The service provider then communicates the offer request to a plurality of businesses that offer the specified product category and that are located within the specified geographic area. If the offer request satisfies certain criteria established by one or more of the businesses, those businesses will issue offers that advertise special deals and discounts to the consumer. Such offers are generated using a software application. The consumer can then accept and redeem any of the offers that the consumer finds attractive.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product.

Abstract: Electronic buying and selling systems and methods are provided. In particular, relations among distinct price curves and buyers or potential buyers are disclosed. For instance, a price offered to a system user can vary based on total volume of all people aggregating in private environments, cumulative total order by user, ship date, optimal time, as well as terms and conditions associated with the offer (e.g., no cancellation of order, cancellation possible, payment method . . . ).

Abstract: A method for tracking downloads of digital media content is disclosed. Digital media content, such as music, games and applications (“apps”) are widely available with the popularity of mobile computing. Content suppliers would appreciate it if their works were more widely disseminated and used. Users or customers may receive an incentive to purchase or to download an application. The incentive may be, for example, a free application, rewards points or a virtual currency. In one method, a user downloads digital media content and receives the incentive in two stages. In the first stage, a user who has expressed interest is sent a first web-based link offering the content and the incentive. In the second stage, after activating the link, the user is allowed to download the content and receive the inventive. The web-based link includes user identifiers that are matched for the user to receive the incentive.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the sale of products, such as goods and/or services. Specifically, merchants of products provide incentives for consumers that may be defined by time and geography to drives sales of the products, such as during low demand periods. Moreover, the present invention allows consumers to search for and claim time-sensitive incentives from merchants; specifically, incentives requiring instant or nearly instant acceptance and/or redeemability.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for delivering ad-initiated emails to a user's visual email inbox to provide access to content. Ad-initiated emails are emails that are generated by an ad server in response to a user's selection of an online advertisement that is served by the ad server. A visual email is an email that is represented using a creative. For instance, the visual email may include metadata that identifies the creative or that may be used to identify the creative. The creative may be an audio component, an image component, and/or a video component. A creative may be used to represent a single email or multiple emails. If a creative is used to represent multiple emails, selection of the creative may provide access to the various emails, information identified by the emails, and/or a list of the emails. Content may include a coupon, a file, an advertisement, etc.

Abstract: A method and system for point of sale consumer packaged goods and lottery promotions. A discount coupon is generated having two barcodes. The first barcode encodes standard UPC barcode data including, e.g., manufacturer ID, retail product or a retail product family, and discount value code. The second barcode encodes a FreePlay identifier code. A POS system scans the barcodes and the FreePlay identifier code is recognized. Based on this, the consumer is offered a choice of a Lottery FreePlay coupon in lieu of the discount on the retail product. When the consumer accepts the choice of a Lottery FreePlay coupon, a Lottery FreePlay coupon is printed for the consumer in lieu of giving the consumer a discount on the retail product. The Lottery FreePlay coupon is redeemable at an authorized lottery booth for a lottery ticket having a purchase price based on the discount value code.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product.

Abstract: A method and a system offer an incentive to a user of a mobile device based on a geographic location of the mobile device and the intent of the user. A processor-implemented location identification module determines the geographic location of the mobile device of the user. A processor-implemented item identification module identifies an item specified by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device. A processor-implemented incentive module offers an incentive from at least one merchant within a predefined distance based on the identified item and the geographic location of the mobile device.

Abstract: Prospective deals for a deal vendor's deal inventory may be scored according to one or more population-specific expected-yield scores, such as expected revenue yield, expected new customers yield, and the like. A prospective deal is categorized and characterized according to a number of yield-related characteristics. Some or all of the prospective deal's characteristics are mapped to yield components derived from completed deals that have been offered to a particular population. An expected-yield score for a prospective deal with regard to that population is obtained by combining the mapped yield components.

Abstract: A method by which potential buyers are identified includes receiving a description of an item a potential buyer intends to purchase within a particular time, determining a reward for the potential buyer based on intent data, providing the reward to the potential buyer and applying a penalty to a financial account of the potential buyer if the potential buyer does not purchase the item within the particular time period. The system includes a controller coupled to at least one input device with the controller operable to compute a reward offer. The controller includes circuitry, or software, configured to compute and apply a penalty if the potential buyer does not purchase the item within the particular time period.

Abstract: A method for providing improved patient medication adherence may include receiving an indication of a current prescription based on claims data associated with a location at which the current prescription is fillable, generating an incentive for a patient associated with the current prescription, and providing the incentive to the patient via an electronically generated message. The incentive may be associated with a product available at the location. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: Example embodiments are electronic commerce (e-commerce) systems and media platforms, for use with both portable and non-portable devices, to deploy real-time location-based discount offers to users with the ability to purchase and redeem the same day. In addition, merchants (sellers) set up, edit, or cancel discount offers using portable and non-portable systems in real time.

Abstract: A merchant interface for managing an online deal or coupon is described. The management interface can include controls to show the status of a deal, modify or monitor the progress of a deal, etc. In particular embodiments, alert notifications can be sent out using messages or postings. Merchants or other sellers can select to send messages or alerts to specific types of participants or interested parties. Other features are described.

Abstract: A merchant interface for creating an online coupon is described. The interface can include controls to specify a location, time interval and one or more deal terms. Various embodiments of the merchant interface can include other options and details such as the ability to specify multiple deal locations, enforce redemption by Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) location, etc.

Abstract: A computer-implemented value dissemination method is provided. The method includes defining a physical location and detecting entrance of a mobile device associated with a user to the physical location. A value indication is generated in response to detecting the entrance to the physical location, and the value indication is rendered accessible to the user. A system for disseminating value is further provided.

Abstract: A method and a system for an increased value of a Coupon are provided. The increased value is achieved by a first number of computing device users who have confirmed the Coupon. A second number of computing device users increases the value of the Coupon to a new value by confirming the Coupon. Confirmation of a Coupon can be achieved by activating a link. Confirmation can also be achieved by sending an e-mail. A first Coupon string contains contacts including a first user of a starting user. The first user becomes a starting user of a next string by activating a new string of contacts. Different coupon strings may achieve different end values of a Coupon. A Coupon may be associated with a special interest. A special interest may be a credit card.

Abstract: A system for connecting businesses with a customer community stores business registration information associated with the businesses, including the type of service offered by each business, and customer registration information including services of interest and contact information. A server receives information from a business via a communication interface that an offer is available for a limited time at a discount price, and sends information on the offer to a plurality of customers for whom the offer is relevant, based on stored customer information. Interested customers receiving the offer reply to the offer through the system, the system sends the replies to the business, and the business is charged a predetermined fee for connecting the customers to the business based on the number of replies to the offer received by the business through the system.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for monitoring a location having a plurality of audio sensors and video sensors are disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises receiving auditory data, comparing a portion of the auditory data to a lexicon comprising a plurality of keywords to determine if there is a match to a keyword from the lexicon, and if a match is found, selecting at least one video sensor to monitor an area to be monitored. Video data from the video sensor is archived with the auditory data and metadata. The video sensor is selected by determining video sensors associated with the areas to be monitored. A lookup table is used to determine the association. Cartesian coordinates may be used to determine positions of components and their areas of coverage.

Abstract: An advertising-financed print service is enabled in which the printing of content by consumers is subsidized, in whole or in part, by the presentation of commercial content (e.g., coupons and offers) to the consumers.

Abstract: Various systems and methods that may relate to referral and/or delivery services are described. Some embodiments may include incentivizing groups to meet goals. Various other embodiments are described.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product.

Abstract: A card may receive and store one or more coupon offers (e.g., promotions, awards, rewards, or incentives). Coupon offers, associated details, and associated coupon detail updates may be displayed onto one or more displays of a card. A cardholder may monitor, purchase, and redeem such coupon offers automatically and/or by activating manual inputs (e.g., buttons) on the card. Cardholders and one or more components of a payment monitoring system may encourage increased patronage for merchants, since coupon redemption values may be qualified and/or increased through increased interaction of the members. Such increased interaction of the members may be monitored by each member through coupon detail updates displayed on each member's card.

Abstract: Systems and methods for carrying on marketing dialogues are disclosed. Specifically, embodiments of the systems and methods presented may allow marketing dialogues to be carried on with a set of participants by sending a communication to each of the participants. Another set of participant may be assembled from the initial participants and an action may then be taken with respect to this second set of participants.

Abstract: Some described embodiments provide for selecting (e.g., by a server computer from a plurality of transaction records), a transaction record associated with a financial account of an account holder. In one example, the transaction record includes an indication of an amount due, by the account holder, for a previous purchase completed by the account holder with a first merchant. Some embodiments provide further for generating a billing statement for the account holder, the billing statement including an indication of the amount due by the account holder for the previous completed purchase and an indication of an acquisition offer, in which the acquisition offer comprises a promise from a second merchant to pay at least a portion of the amount due by the account holder, and transmitting the billing statement to the account holder.

Abstract: An adjustable discount system adjusts discounts based on system events. The discount system may provide greater or lesser discounts on such events as timing, inventory levels, the number of people committed to purchasing, velocity of sales and acceleration of sales.

Abstract: An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing a gift involving separate transactions. A system configured to practice the method first associates a policy with a giver having a giver account and a recipient having a recipient account, wherein the giver account is independent of the recipient account, and wherein the policy requires at least two transactions prior to applying a gift amount. Then the system monitors transactions using the recipient account to identify at least two separate qualifying transactions according to the policy. Upon identifying the at least two separate qualifying transactions, the system applies the gift amount to the recipient account according to the policy.

Abstract: An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

Abstract: A method for mass non-revenue binding retail negotiation. The method comprises identifying a targeted geographic area and selecting a plurality of merchants within the targeted geographic area and having a product or service in common. The method continues by assigning a package to the plurality of merchants in order to receive an offer from the plurality of merchants for the assigned package. The method includes receiving a plurality of offers for the package, applying a criteria to each offer received from the plurality of merchants in order to provide feedback to each merchant that provided an offer from the plurality of merchants. Receiving a final offer from the plurality of merchants and selecting at least one final offer received from the plurality of merchants.

Abstract: An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

Abstract: A server implements a marketing method. The server may receive a wireless call or message originating at a given facility and return a menu of choices particular to that facility. On receiving a choice selected from said menu, the server may return one or more messages with information particular to a part of said given facility. The information may be a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion.

Abstract: A coupon generation and redemption method that includes displaying on a video display associated with a computing device at least one product on which at least one promotion is available. An input device that is associated with the computing device is used to select at least one of the at least one product for which the consumer desires to receive at least one coupon. The at least one coupon is printed using the computing device. The at least one product referenced in the at least one coupon is purchased. The at least one coupon is redeemed.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a method is provided for managing reward offers. A first performance target that is associated with a financial account is determined. Transaction data that is associated with the financial account is received, and a second performance target for the financial account is determined based on the transaction data.

Abstract: A discount distribution system includes a discount generation unit having a processor and a memory with a program executing in the memory that performs the steps of gathering information pertaining to a product by an information gathering unit, generating a plurality of discounts associated with the product based on the information gathered, storing each of the generated discounts and associated product information in the memory of the discount generation unit, displaying a plurality of selected discounts on a display on an initiator device in response to a triggering event, distributing at least one of the plurality of discounts to a plurality of client devices based on a request from the initiator device.

Abstract: A method for enabling low cost and effective sale transactions between buyers and sellers is provided, wherein the method is enabled by a system comprising one or more client interfaces and at least one server. Sellers list one or more Price Credits (PCs), and one or more goods on a server for buyers to buy. The discount on a good or a service is equal to the face value of the corresponding PC being offered to buy the good. Buyers can buy PCs using Price Exception Guarantees (PEGs). Buyers may further buy merchant tokens using PCs. Buyers may also resell PCs and merchant tokens before expiration of validity. Sellers may use merchant tokens to raise low cost and effective financing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide for managing attraction attendance levels through tracking current attendance levels and notifying patrons of incentives to alter their attraction selections in real-time. Examples identify an attraction queue that has a customer wait time failing to meet a threshold and determine a geographic relationship of a tracking device associated with a registered customer to the queue. Accordingly, an incentive is created from metadata associated with the queue and offered to the registered customer to urge the registered customer to take a queue balancing action. The queue balancing action may be leaving the queue if the customer wait time exceeds a threshold maximum wait time and the tracking device is within the queue, or choosing to enter the queue if the customer wait time is less than a threshold minimum wait time and the tracking device is outside of the queue.

Abstract: A system for promoting a business includes a business interface module and a consumer interface module. The business interface module receives information from businesses identifying information to be conveyed to consumers, such as special offers available from the businesses. The consumer interface module conveys the information to the consumers.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for enabling the use of an appointment-based electronic ad that restricts or grants access to electronic advertising content based upon an appointed time frame. Access to the restricted advertised content is restricted based upon whether a user is attempting to access the restricted advertised content via an appropriate appointment-based electronic ad and during the appropriate time frame. Furthermore, the system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium enables the storage, retrieval, sharing, and manipulation of appointment-based electronic ads by an individual user in order to increase the likelihood of their use.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a sheet accommodating section, an image forming section, a term management section, a detecting section, and a display section. The sheet accommodating section has a plurality of sheet trays each accommodating therein printing sheets with advertisement. The term management section has stored therein information on a term of validity of the advertisement as advertisement term information connected with a sheet tray. The detecting section detects whether or not the advertisement is currently valid, based on the advertisement term information. Also, the detecting section determines during printing whether or not the term of validity of the advertisement on the printing sheets accommodated in a sheet tray being used in printing has expired. The display section displays information that a sheet tray other than the sheet tray being used is present which accommodates therein printing sheets each carrying an advertisement which is currently valid, if any.

Abstract: A shopping list generating system includes a coupon obtaining module, a keyword generator, a recipe obtaining module, and a shopping list generator. The coupon obtaining module obtains coupon information about one or more particular coupons from a coupon database. The keyword generator generates one or more keywords according to particular coupon information about the one or more particular coupons. The recipe obtaining module obtains recipe information about one or more recipes by querying the recipe database using the one or more keywords, and the shopping list generator generates a shopping list of ingredients according to the recipe information about the one or more recipes.

Abstract: A method for generating a price planning schedule includes receiving price planning input from at least one of an automated pricing engine and a manual pricing engine. The method further includes generating a price planning schedule based on the price planning input and a price planning budget associated with the price planning input.

Abstract: The demand aggregation system includes deal room sponsored by a third party host. The third party host facilitates commercial transactions between a plurality of buyers and at least one seller. In exchange for sponsorship of such a deal room, the third party host can receive an incentive such as a percentage of sales, seller discount or the like. Furthermore, mechanisms are provided to aid discovery of sellers and/or offers that can be included in a group buying event for a buying group. The buying group receives a greater discount as the total purchase amount in the group buying event increases.

Abstract: A system to incentivize financial account holders, such as a checking account, by providing a cash bonus for certain activities in the financial account, including certain deposits, electronic payments, debit card purchases, and receiving an electronic statement (instead of paper statements). The cash bonus is calculated on the current time period, for example monthly and credited to the financial account at the end of such current time period.