Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing a group gift using a system in which a recipient (purchaser of the group gift) and givers have registered payment accounts with the system. The system displays, on a graphical user interface, at least the giver and the recipient to yield a proposed transfer configuration at a first time. A gift or a merchant can also be identified in the interface. Upon receiving a confirmation from at least one of the giver and the receiver of the proposed transfer configuration, the system establishes a money transfer policy that indicates that, upon detecting a qualifying purchase made using the recipient payment account, at least a portion of a transfer amount is applied to the recipient payment account from at least one giver account. The system simplifies the process of a group of people joining together to buy a gift.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for identifying and handling group gifts. A system practicing the method receives a request to establish a policy governing a money transfer from a giver account to a recipient payment account according to a policy established at least in part on a communication context, wherein the policy indicates that, upon detection of a qualifying transaction made with a recipient payment account, a transfer amount is applied to the recipient payment account. The system analyzes the communication context to determine the giver and the recipient and respective payment accounts. Then the system implements the policy governing the money transfer such that, upon detection of the qualifying transaction made with the recipient payment account, at least a portion of the transfer amount is applied to the recipient payment account from the respective payment account for the giver.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing gifts based on a web page context. A system practicing the method receives an indication that a giver has selected a user-selectable object on a web page, the selectable object being associated with a gift the giver desires to give to a recipient. The system presents to the giver a proposed gift based on a context of the web page. Upon giver confirmation of the gift for the recipient, the system establishes a policy such that when the recipient makes a qualifying purchase to buy the gift using a recipient account, wherein the recipient account exists prior to the giver confirmation, a gift amount is applied to the recipient account.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for confirming redemption of a gift according to a detected qualifying transaction. A system practicing the method determines, according to a policy, that a recipient has made a qualifying transaction via a recipient account, wherein the policy indicates that the qualifying transaction triggers a transfer of a gift amount to the recipient account. The system sends to the recipient a confirmation request associated with the qualifying transaction, and, upon receiving an affirmative response to the confirmation request, applies at least a portion of the gift amount to the recipient account. In this way, a recipient or other party has some control over which qualifying transactions trigger application of the gift.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for gift communications via an API. A server receiving calls via the API receives a request to monitor recipient transactions, wherein the request includes information comprising a recipient and a policy. The server monitors the recipient transactions using a recipient account associated with the recipient for a qualifying transaction. Upon detecting the qualifying transaction, the server processes data associated with the qualifying transaction. A client device receives, from a giver and at a first time, an indication of a gift amount and a recipient. The client generates a request to monitor recipient transactions, wherein the request includes a recipient and a policy, and transmits the request to a gift processing server, such that when a qualifying transaction is recognized using the recipient account, data is processed associated with the qualifying transaction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for receiving data from a giver at a first time, the data being used to identify a merchant at which a gift from the giver to a recipient is redeemable. The system presents a group of merchants associated with the data to the giver, each merchant of the group of merchants offering a promotion in connection with the gift. The system receives from the giver a selection of a chosen merchant from the group of merchants, the chosen merchant having an associated promotion. The system then generates a policy comprising the gift, the chosen merchant, and the associated promotion such that upon receiving an indication of a triggering event caused by the recipient, the system can apply the gift and the associated promotion according to the policy.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling gift card recipients to redeem gift card amounts using existing accounts such as a credit/debit card. A system practicing the method sends to a set of givers a set of respective invitations to contribute to a group gift, wherein the group gift is associated with a policy, a person, and a payment account associated with the person that existed prior to sending the set of respective invitations. The system identifies a contribution to the group gift from one of the set of givers, wherein when the person makes a qualifying transaction using the payment account according to the policy, a gift amount associated with the group gift is applied from various giver accounts. Then the system updates at least one of the set of respective invitations sent to the set of givers based on the contribution.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for playing music at a cash register and for performing price scanning. A method for playing music at a cash register includes, for each item scan, selecting a note from a set of song instructions, and, as feedback for each respective item scan, playing the selected note as part of a sequence to output at least part of a song. A price scanner scans an item in a store, retrieves a price for the item and additional information, and outputs the price for the item and at least one suggestion based on the additional information. A retail store server selects song instructions which can be executed to produce notes of a song, and distributes at least a portion of the song instructions to a cash register for output in response to an item scan.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling gift card recipients to redeem gift card amounts using existing accounts such as a credit/debit card. A system practicing the method identifies a giver and recipient of a gift card amount and associated accounts. A policy is established which governs how the gift card is redeemed, such as a specific merchant or item. When the recipient makes a purchase using an existing credit/debit card according to the policy, the gift card amount is applied to the transaction. No special codes, separate physical gift cards, or printable coupons are necessary for redemption. The recipient makes purchases using their normal purchasing credit/debit card via a qualifying purchase according to the policy, and the gift card is applied automatically. The recipient credit/debit card becomes a combination of an open-looped card and a closed-loop card. Thus, no money is wasted or lost.