Abstract: A system and method for the purchase of products, where some products may eligible for special forms of payment, such as payment from a medical savings account (MSA). A POS terminal is used to obtain a product ID (from a product bar code) and an MSA account ID from an MSA account card. The product and account IDs are provided to a database where MSA eligibility and MSA account status information is accessed and retrieved. A display at the POS terminal separates and displays information on both the eligible and non-eligible products. The POS terminal may used to pay for eligible products by electronically debiting the MSA account, and to pay for non-eligible products by traditional methods, such as cash, check or credit card. Eligible products may be given price discounts, and discount information is also retrieved from the database.

Abstract: A loyalty system that may be integrated with a financial infrastructure is provided. Such a financial infrastructure may accommodate transactions involving participants in the loyalty program as well as transactions that do not involve participants in the loyalty program. When a transaction is initiated by a customer at a merchant, regardless of who are the parties to the transaction, it is intercepted by a loyalty switch, which determines whether the customer and merchant are participants in the loyalty program. The switch transmits the transaction instruction to the financial infrastructure so that authorization may be received. If it is determined that the customer and merchant are participants in the loyalty program, the loyalty switch also executes a loyalty process that conforms with the criteria of the loyalty program.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating an integrated stored-value and loyalty program within a financial infrastructure. An identifier and a packet of transaction information defining a transaction between a merchant and a customer are received at a loyalty host. Qualifying aspects of the transaction are identified from the packet of transaction information. A customer reward is determined from the identified qualifying aspects and a history of information defined by the identifier. Information defining the reward is transmitted to a stored-value host that records a value parameter that may be applied as value by the customer to another transaction.

Abstract: A system and method for the purchase of products, where some products may eligible for special forms of payment, such as payment from a medical savings account (MSA). A POS terminal is used to obtain a product ID (from a product bar code) and an MSA account ID from an MSA account card. The product and account IDs are provided to a database where MSA eligibility and MSA account status information is accessed and retrieved. A display at the POS terminal separates and displays information on both the eligible and non-eligible products. The POS terminal may used to pay for eligible products by electronically debiting the MSA account, and to pay for non-eligible products by traditional methods, such as cash, check or credit card. Eligible products may be given price discounts, and discount information is also retrieved from the database.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating an integrated stored-value and loyalty program within a financial infrastructure. An identifier and a packet of transaction information defining a transaction between a merchant and a customer are received at a loyalty host. Qualifying aspects of the transaction are identified from the packet of transaction information. A customer reward is determined from the identified qualifying aspects and a history of information defined by the identifier. Information defining the reward is transmitted to a stored-value host that records a value parameter that may be applied as value by the customer to another transaction.

Abstract: A system is provided in which transaction information may be collected at a point-of-sale with a point-of-sale device having multiple capabilities. The transaction information is accumulated by a transaction controller and/or transaction aggregator for transmission to a central host. The central host may receive the transaction information, determine amounts owed from issuers of the discount certificates and to retailers of the discounted items, and coordinate transfer of funds among financial institutions to settle the discounts. The central host may also be configured to perform fraud-probability analyses on the transaction information, using the results of the analysis to pinpoint specific information on the origin of the potential fraud.

Abstract: A loyalty system that may be integrated with a financial infrastructure is provided. Such a financial infrastructure may accommodate transactions involving participants in the loyalty program as well as transactions that do not involve participants in the loyalty program. When a transaction is initiated by a customer at a merchant, regardless of who are the parties to the transaction, it is intercepted by a loyalty switch, which determines whether the customer and merchant are participants in the loyalty program. The switch transmits the transaction instruction to the financial infrastructure so that authorization may be received. If it is determined that the customer and merchant are participants in the loyalty program, the loyalty switch also executes a loyalty process that conforms with the criteria of the loyalty program.