Abstract: An email-based e-commerce system is disclosed with additional features for added security. The system may include security features for email based e-commerce providing added assurance to customers of a higher level of protection than generally required. These security features enhance the password reset function without requiring a password, generate confirmations on outside messaging systems and implement an oversight management tool for authorizing transactions. The methods and apparatus described herein may enhance security by designing a system that can confirm payments through a separate non-email based media. The e-commerce system may send alerts or requests for confirmation in a variety of media to ensure a secure payment process. The methods and apparatus described herein may expand the list of individuals that may request or approve payments based on a single account registered by a single credit card holder. A single user may receive requests from registered sub-customers for payments by email.

Abstract: A system and method to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The system and method include receiving a response email, wherein the response email includes a short lookup token associated with the transaction between a customer and a vendor; determining the long token associated with the short lookup token; decoding the long token; performing a validation of the decoded long token; and processing the transaction, on a condition that validation is approved. A system and method may also include receiving an email, the email includes a short lookup token integrated into the string of characters that compose the email address and is associated with the transaction between a customer and a vendor; determining a long token associated with the short lookup token; decoding the long token; performing a validation of the decoded long token; and processing the transaction, on a condition that validation is approved.

Abstract: A system and method for leveraging email to complete a checkout for registered and unregistered customers of the e-commerce system are disclosed. The system and method include receiving, by an email payment gateway, an email message comprising a customer email address and a token. The token includes transaction information for a transaction from a third party vendor. The system and method further include determining a registration status of a customer based on the customer email address, wherein the registration status is one of a registered customer of the e-commerce system or an unregistered customer of the e-commerce system. The system and method further include decoding the token and sending an email message to the customer email address based on the registration status and the decoded token.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for integrating email, SMS, and social media based transactions with interactive television or standard cable with Internet access to make payments. Disclosed is a method to tie together a vendor and a cable provider with an e-commerce system leveraging each entity's customer information to streamline the payment process. Also disclosed are multiple methods to allow customers to make messaging based payments via interactive cable television features. The messaging allows for payments based on various levels of convergence between Internet and cable television experiences.

Abstract: A method and system implemented in an e-commerce system to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The method includes generating, by a processor, the requested at least one NFC code and token, wherein the at least one NFC code and token an identification of the price the customer pays for a specific product, the customer's amount owed on an invoice or granting access to a secure account, transmitting, by a transmitter, the at least one NFC code and token to a vendor server; receiving, by a receiver, a response email, wherein the response email includes the token; decoding, by the processor, the token; performing, by the processor, an Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) validation; and processing, by the processor, the transaction, on a condition that the SPF and DKIM validations are approved.

Abstract: A method implemented in an e-commerce system to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor using embedded forms includes requesting by a vendor system to an e-commerce system to generate an embedded form for use in an SMTP email campaign. The method further includes transmitting emails with embedded forms including at least one token by the vendor system to a customer device. The method further includes rendering the embedded form in email to the customer device and receiving a response email, wherein the response email includes input details requested in the specified input fields and a token; authenticating the response email; decoding the token and processing a transaction based on the customer input details requested in the specified input fields of the embedded form.

Abstract: A system and method for leveraging email to complete a checkout for registered and unregistered customers of the e-commerce system are disclosed. The system and method include receiving, by an email payment gateway, an email message comprising a customer email address and a token. The token includes transaction information for a transaction from a third party vendor. The system and method further include determining a registration status of a customer based on the customer email address, wherein the registration status is one of a registered customer of the e-commerce system or an unregistered customer of the e-commerce system. The system and method further include decoding the token and sending an email message to the customer email address based on the registration status and the decoded token.

Abstract: A method and system implemented in an e-commerce system to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The method includes generating, by a processor, the requested at least one NFC code and token, wherein the at least one NFC code and token an identification of the price the customer pays for a specific product, the customer's amount owed on an invoice or granting access to a secure account, transmitting, by a transmitter, the at least one NFC code and token to a vendor server; receiving, by a receiver, a response email, wherein the response email includes the token; decoding, by the processor, the token; performing, by the processor, an Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) validation; and processing, by the processor, the transaction, on a condition that the SPF and DKIM validations are approved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for integrating email, SMS, and social media based transactions with interactive television or standard cable with Internet access to make payments. Disclosed is a method to tie together a vendor and a cable provider with an e-commerce system leveraging each entity's customer information to streamline the payment process. Also disclosed are multiple methods to allow customers to make messaging based payments via interactive cable television features. The messaging allows for payments based on various levels of convergence between Internet and cable television experiences.

Abstract: An electronic commerce (e-commerce) system may send advertisement emails to customers that are registered with the e-commerce system. The advertisement emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink may be associated with a product that is being offered for sale, and each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to the product associated with the hyperlink, such as an identifier of the product. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the e-commerce system. The e-commerce system may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, execute a transaction to purchase the identified product on behalf of the customer.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an email as a command is disclosed. The system and method include formatting an action in an e-commerce system based on an assigned address, wherein communication with the assigned address initiates the action, and authenticating a message addressed to the assigned address, wherein for a positively authenticated message the action is performed. The system and method may also include receiving the message sent to the assigned address. For negatively authenticated messages, the system and method include providing a sender of the message a sign-up to enable positive authentication. The system and method may include requesting details of the action based on the message. The system and method may include sending an invoice for the action to the address that sent the authenticated message and processing a payment based on a response to the sent invoice.

Abstract: A method implemented in an e-commerce system to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor using embedded forms includes requesting by a vendor system to an e-commerce system to generate an embedded form for use in an SMTP email campaign. The method further includes transmitting emails with embedded forms including at least one token by the vendor system to a customer device. The method further includes rendering the embedded form in email to the customer device and receiving a response email, wherein the response email includes input details requested in the specified input fields and a token; authenticating the response email; decoding the token and processing a transaction based on the customer input details requested in the specified input fields of the embedded form.

Abstract: An e-commerce system and method for facilitating transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The e-commerce system includes a receiver configured to receive a request for at least one token, the request including the details of at least one transaction for the purchase of at least one product, a processor configured to generate at least one token, a transmitter configured to transmit the at least one token to a customer browser, the customer browser being used to validate the token using at least one iframe, the receiver configured to receive submission in the iframe, the processor configured to decode the token, the processor configured to perform one or more validations, and the processor configured to process the transaction, on a condition that the validations are approved.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an email as a command is disclosed. The system and method include formatting an action in an e-commerce system based on an assigned address, wherein communication with the assigned address initiates the action, and authenticating a message addressed to the assigned address, wherein for a positively authenticated message the action is performed. The system and method may also include receiving the message sent to the assigned address. For negatively authenticated messages, the system and method include providing a sender of the message a sign-up to enable positive authentication. The system and method may include requesting details of the action based on the message. The system and method may include sending an invoice for the action to the address that sent the authenticated message and processing a payment based on a response to the sent invoice.

Abstract: An electronic commerce (e-commerce) system may send advertisement emails to customers that are registered with the e-commerce system. The advertisement emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink may be associated with a product that is being offered for sale, and each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to the product associated with the hyperlink, such as an identifier of the product. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the e-commerce system. The e-commerce system may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, execute a transaction to purchase the identified product on behalf of the customer.

Abstract: An email payment gateway having electronic commerce (e-commerce) system may send advertisement emails to customers that are registered with the e-commerce system. The advertisement emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink may be associated with a product that is being offered for sale, and each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to the product associated with the hyperlink, such as an identifier of the product. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the e-commerce system. The e-commerce system may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, execute a transaction to purchase the identified product on behalf of the customer.

Abstract: An email payment gateway may be configured to send emails to potential donors. The emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink may be associated with one or more fundraising campaigns, and each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to the fundraising campaign associated with the hyperlink, such as an identifier of the fundraising campaign, donor identity or donation amount. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the email payment gateway. The email payment gateway may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, process the donation on behalf of the donor.

Abstract: A method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising: storing customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information. The method further comprises receiving an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information and receiving confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information. The method further comprising transmitting an access code to the third party vendor and receiving a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and wherein the request message requests an authorization token. The method may further comprise confirming the received access code and transmitting an authorization token to the third party vendor.

Abstract: An e-commerce system and method for facilitating transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The e-commerce system includes a receiver configured to receive a request for at least one token, the request including the details of at least one transaction for the purchase of at least one product, a processor configured to generate at least one token, a transmitter configured to transmit the at least one token to a customer browser, the customer browser being used to validate the token using at least one iframe, the receiver configured to receive submission in the iframe, the processor configured to decode the token, the processor configured to perform one or more validations, and the processor configured to process the transaction, on a condition that the validations are approved.

Abstract: A method for generating tokens for use in an email-based e-commerce transaction between third party vendor and a customer that is facilitated by a payment server is disclosed. The method may comprise generating a token for use with an email checkout, wherein the token comprises a customer name, and customer email address. The processor may generate an email message for at least one recipient, the email message including a mailto hyperlink including the token, wherein the mailto hyperlink generates an email response message addressed to the payment server including the token. The method may comprise receiving a notification from the payment server indicating that the at least one recipient that the email response message was successfully received by the payment server and the email-based e-commerce transaction is successful.