WO2007044830A2 - Systeme et procede permettant d'effectuer des paiements de remise rapides - Google Patents

Systeme et procede permettant d'effectuer des paiements de remise rapides Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007044830A2
WO2007044830A2 PCT/US2006/039816 US2006039816W WO2007044830A2 WO 2007044830 A2 WO2007044830 A2 WO 2007044830A2 US 2006039816 W US2006039816 W US 2006039816W WO 2007044830 A2 WO2007044830 A2 WO 2007044830A2
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Prior art keywords
rebate
consumer
rapid
payment
authorized
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PCT/US2006/039816
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English (en)
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WO2007044830A3 (fr
Inventor
Dale Lefebvre
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Crossfill Llc
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Publication of WO2007044830A2 publication Critical patent/WO2007044830A2/fr
Publication of WO2007044830A3 publication Critical patent/WO2007044830A3/fr

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to fulfillment of consumer product rebates. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for constructing, arranging, and/or facilitating rapid rebates in an electronic rebate processing progression and presenting them as disbursement options to consumers seeking rebate redemption in a manner that can be transparent to the rebate sponsors).
  • Rebate sponsors offer rebates to entice price conscious consumers to make purchases.
  • An instant rebate can be automatically applied by the merchant at the point of sale.
  • a post-purchase rebate can be claimed subsequent to the purchase of a rebate-qualifying product.
  • Instant rebates can be viewed as a way of presenting a simple price reduction that implies that the reduction may only be offered for a limited period of time, thereby enticing the consumer to make a timely purchase.
  • Post-purchase rebates require a consumer to pay full price for a product at the time of purchase, and to provide some information to obtain the rebate afterwards.
  • the rebate payment is disbursed to the consumer only if the consumer has indeed made a rebate eligible purchase, submitted all the required information, and complied with all the terms and conditions associated with the particular rebate program.
  • the system of Solomon et al. includes a networked rebate processing center which allows a consumer who purchased a rebate-qualifying product to fill out an online rebate request form through the rebate processing center's processing interface. After the rebate request is successfully processed, the consumer may be given several disbursement options (e.g., cash, gift certificate, manufacturer credit, etc.). Submitting the rebate request form to and receiving the disbursement options from the rebate processing center can be viewed as two separate transactions. The former transaction can be initiated by the consumer electronically or by mail. To maintain breakage and prevent fraudulent claims, the system of Solomon et al.
  • Phase 1 Rebate authorization, 3 - 5 days;
  • Phase 3 Invoice payment, 4 - 6 weeks;
  • Phase 5 Disbursement, 3 -5 days.
  • the rebate processor may take three to five days for the rebate processor to enter the information in a database, process the data entered, and determine whether the consumer's submission satisfies all the terms and conditions under the associated rebate program.
  • this rebate processing timeline demonstrates, the whole process generally takes about six to ten weeks.
  • rebate processing system would maintain numerous post purchase requirements so that a consumer would still need to go through a myriad of processes to realize a rebate. Any number of steps may halt or suspend rebate processing to wait for further actions by the user (e.g., submission of verifying materials such as receipts or UPC symbols, etc.).
  • the rebate processing center may terminate processing at points of breakage (e.g., failed communications, failure to meet the promotion requirements, failure to submit the verifying materials, etc.) without notifying the consumer of the status.
  • EMO's fee-based rebate check printing service is analogous to the basic idea of PayPal® wherein electronic payments to and from the electronic accounts of individuals and entities alike may be realized through a third party service provider (i.e., PayPal®) and wherein transaction fees are deducted from payments made.
  • PayPal® third party service provider
  • both the EMO and basic PayPal® solutions only address the delay associated with traditional postal mail delivery in the disbursement phase. They do not address the delay in the overall rebate payment process or the steps (phases) that lead to the largest portion of the delay in the overall rebate payment process.
  • a need exists for ways to enable rebate sponsors to fulfill rebates more accurately and deliver the promised value to consumers more quickly. Embodiments of the present invention address this need and more.
  • Embodiments of the present invention provide a rapid rebate processing system and method that can significantly shorten the time from rebate authorization to receipt of funds by the consumer.
  • embodiments of the present invention can electronically provide a rapid rebate that is less than the face value of the original, authorized rebate, that can be processed entirely online, and that can be redeemed in as little as one day or less.
  • embodiments of the present invention can enable a factoring company to purchase rebate receivables from consumers below par and redeem those rebate receivables at a higher or face value utilizing a process that is transparent to the rebate sponsor.
  • Embodiments of the present invention can provide multiple mechanisms for enabling and subsequently fulfilling a rapid rebate offer made to a consumer.
  • the system and method of the current invention includes at least the following rapid rebate enablement mechanisms: (1) purchase of rebate receivables, (2) assessment of a convenience fee, and (3) a short-term consumer loan.
  • the rapid rebate can be sent to the consumer via any funds disbursement/transfer mechanism, including but not limited to (1 ) providing a direct deposit into the consumer's account (e.g., checking, savings, PayPal®, etc.), (2) mailing the consumer a check or pre-paid card, and (3) providing a credit to the consumer's credit or debit card.
  • Such a credit may be a rebate credit that can be used to purchase additional goods and/or services.
  • the rapid rebate is enabled through the purchase of a rebate receivable from the consumer.
  • the rebate is purchased from the consumer for less than the original rebate amount and the consumer is offered one or more of the following disbursement options: 1 ) cash transfer into the consumer's account; 2) credit applied to the consumer's credit card; or 3) other expedited cash availability mechanism.
  • the invention can include a system that enables a financial institution or factoring company with physical and electronic relationships throughout the Rebate Supply and Demand Chain, to purchase rebate receivables from consumers at a discount to face value, in exchange for making funds available to the consumer on an expedited basis.
  • the factoring company can provide a rapid rebate without creating a consumer credit facility, loan servicing obligations, or underwriting.
  • Embodiments of the current invention allows the consumer to enter into a purchase agreement with the factoring company, wherein the consumer agrees to sell the existing or pending rebate receivable to the factoring company at an agreed upon price, which is less than the par (face) value of the receivable, and the factoring company agrees to electronically deposit the purchase price of the receivable into an account designated by the consumer within 24 - 48 hours after receiving a confirmation of rebate authorization from the rebate processor, send a check, or disburse funds through another available expedited cash availability mechanism. Consistent with the purchase agreement, once the rapid rebate payment has been made, the factoring company (purchaser) assumes all of the credit risk associated with the outstanding rebate receivable. Unlike refund anticipation loans, which are secured by the taxpayer's expected refund, the consumer does not bear any continuing liability associated with the rebate receivable.
  • the factoring company can then create or designate an account into which the rebate funds can be electronically deposited by the rebate processor after the rebate sponsor pays the associated invoice or provides funds through an alternative credit facility.
  • the rapid rebate is a disbursement option that does not have to be presented to the consumer until after the rebate has been claimed, its availability does not necessarily have any impact on the consumer's decision to submit a rebate request. Additionally, even if only the consumer of record is legally entitled to the rebate, the rapid rebate approach still works, as the rebate remains to be claimed by the consumer of record, creating the receivable that is then sold to the factoring company. Alternatively, the original rebate payment can be deposited into an account that is in the name of the consumer claiming the rebate.
  • the rapid rebate approach By enabling a factoring company to purchase discrete rebate receivables from consumers during electronic rebate processing, the rapid rebate approach would create a large scale, secondary market for consumer product rebate receivables that does not exist in the current rebate processing environment.
  • a rebate processor can electronically transfer a rebate to the factoring company, the entire process can be made transparent to the rebate sponsor. That is, the rapid rebate approach can be practiced without the involvement of rebate sponsors.
  • the rebate sponsor may simply charge the consumer a fee in exchange for expedited processing and payment of his/her rebate claim.
  • the assessment of a convenience, processing, transaction, or any other fee by the rebate sponsor or its assigns will have the ultimate impact of reducing the amount of money received by the consumer resulting in the consumer receiving less than the original rebate amount (face value).
  • this embodiment also avoids the administrative expense typically associated with short-term loan products.
  • a financial institution could create a short-term loan facility wherein the rapid rebate is treated like a short-term loan that is securitized by the anticipated rebate payment from the rebate sponsor.
  • the consumer could be assessed both a finance charge and various loan related fees such as for application processing, with the significant benefit that the consumer is getting paid on an expedited basis for a portion of the face value of the rebate.
  • Embodiments of the present invention can provide a system and method for constructing the aforementioned various types of rapid rebates and presenting them as disbursement options to consumers seeking rebate redemption.
  • embodiments of the invention provide many technical advantages. For example, ⁇ Significant reduction in overall rebate processing time.
  • One outstanding benefit of the present invention is that when combined with an efficient rebate authorization process, consumers can receive a cash rebate payment in as little as 24 hours or instantly receive an online purchase credit.
  • the rapid rebate disbursement option does not have to be presented to the consumer until after he/she has successfully claimed a rebate (i.e., the starting point of the rebate processing timeline).
  • the availability of a rapid rebate may not necessarily affect a consumer's decision whether to submit a rebate request. What is more, the rapid rebate has no bearing on whether the submission itself will be successful. As a result, breakage may still occur prior to the rapid rebate process.
  • ⁇ Avoids the perils of consumer lending.
  • a loan can also be used to enable a rapid rebate
  • the preferred embodiment utilizes a rebate receivable that allows a factoring company to avoid the administrative overhead typically associated with consumer lending.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an overall architecture wherein embodiments of the present invention may be implemented for offering a rapid rebate to a consumer during a rebate processing transaction.
  • FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of the rapid rebate methodology for providing a rapid rebate to a customer.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a rapid rebate system implementing one embodiment of invention and illustrating in one embodiment the flow between a factoring company and a rebate sponsor.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an implementation of FIG. 1 involving an advertising/cross-sell network in communication with the factoring company and the rebate sponsor for offering advertising/cross-sell option(s) as part of the rapid rebate presented to the consumer during the rebate processing transaction.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a rapid rebate system implementing another embodiment of the invention and illustrating in one embodiment the flow between a factoring company, an advertising/cross-sell network, and a rebate sponsor.
  • “rebate sponsor” refers to any entity, including retailer, distributor, manufacturer, service provider, or other producer or seller of goods and/or services, that offers a consumer a rebate in exchange for the purchase of selective items of goods/services.
  • the term “rebate sponsor” includes the communications and/or processing equipment used or maintained by any such entity.
  • “Merchant” refers to any intermediary, including manufacturers, who enable the sale of products of manufacturer to consumers, including through the Internet and on-line sales, and including the communications and/or processing equipment used or maintained by any such intermediary.
  • “Consumer” refers to any individual or by any entity that purchases a rebate-eligible product (goods and/or services) of a rebate sponsor and includes any communications and/or processing equipment used or maintained by the consumer.
  • Network refers to any collection of components associated with the public switched telephone network, local area networks, wide area networks, a global computer network such as the Internet, the World Wide Web, or any other suitable wireline or wireless communications technology for transmitting voice/data or other information from point to point.
  • Data entry interfaces typically electronically capture data from rebate request forms that are submitted through non-electronic channels.
  • Network also refers to physical communication networks where information, collateral, and currency may be exchanged, such as a mail service.
  • a network can include the entities, communications, and processing equipment used to send information and materials back and forth via courier, government mail, or in person. These particular communication channels are examples of physical networks.
  • Disbursement options refers to funding choices presented to a consumer and include those designed for assigning the rebate to a buyer (e.g., a factoring company or other financial entities).
  • a disbursement option represents more than just the use of a particular delivery mechanism to get funds or something of value to a consumer and defines:
  • the ACH Network is a nationwide batch-oriented electronic funds transfer system for the interbank clearing of electronic payments for participating depository financial institutions.
  • the Federal Reserve and Electronic Payments Network act as ACH operators, central clearing facilities through which financial institutions transmit or receive ACH entries.
  • ACH payments include, but are not limited to, business-to-business payments, electronic checks, electronic commerce payments, etc.
  • Fractoring company refers to any commercial entity that is assigned or that purchases rebate receivables from consumers below par and redeems them for a higher value, thereby engaging in the business of receivables financing.
  • a factoring company can be, but does not have to be, an entity in charge of an embodiment of a rebate network manager as described in the above-referenced U.S. Patent Application No. 11/504,122.
  • Rapid rebate refers to any expedited cash payment, credit, or anything of value provided to a consumer to purchase the rights to all or a portion of the rebate payment obligation (receivable) created when the consumer submitted a qualifying rebate claim.
  • Rebate collateral refers to materials, information, or any combination thereof required by a rebate sponsor to prove that a consumer has made a rebate eligible purchase and is entitled to the associated rebate, including but not limited to the purchase receipt, a unique rebate/transaction code, proof of purchase, product packing labels, invoice, UPC bar code, product model and serial numbers, rebate coupon, rebate claim form, and any other materials or information.
  • rebate processing center or “rebate processor” refers to any combination of people, machinery, buildings, business entity, etc. that process rebates for products/services purchased by consumers using rebate promotions established by rebate sponsors such as manufacturers, distributors, and/or retailers. This can include an internal department of the rebate sponsor, or it may be outsourced to an external service provider.
  • Rebate receivable refers to the physical or electronic deed or assignment of rights to a cash payment for a product rebate for which a rebate claim has been authorized by the designated rebate processor but the payment has not been processed.
  • Embodiments of the invention have the following features: Accelerated rebate disbursement at less than face value.
  • the Rapid Rebate solution disclosed herein can present a cash disbursement option that pays the consumer less than the original, face value of the rebate.
  • the word cash is used to refer to cash or cash equivalents that, unlike store credits, do not have any rebate-related restrictions on where the funds may be used. This can be accomplished through a variety of mechanisms as illustrated in Table 1 below.
  • the Rapid Rebate solution disclosed herein enables several fundamentally novel "disbursement options" (e.g., Options IV and V) that give each consumer a proactive and accelerated option of paying a portion of the rebate, resulting in the consumer receiving less than the face value of the authorized rebate but in a significantly reduced timeframe (i.e., from up to 12 weeks down to the next business day). Less (e.g., instant) disbursement time is possible and could be arranged in proportion to the convenience fee deducted from the rebate amount (e.g., a consumer may pay more than 10% of the face value to have the rebate disbursed in less than 24 hours). Additionally, the Rapid Rebate solution disclosed herein can include disbursement options that may offer cash or credit in amounts equal to and/or more than the face value of the rebate.
  • disbursement options e.g., Options IV and V
  • the Rapid Rebate solution disclosed herein enables the creation of assignable rebate receivables. More specifically, after a rebate claim has been authorized by the rebate processor, one embodiment of the invention operates to automatically create a rebate receivable account in the consumer's name at an authorized financial institution or factoring company where the rebate processor can forward the rebate sponsor's rebate payment. Regardless of whether the rebate is assignable, the rebate receivable can be assigned, sold, or transferred to a 3 rd party. The creation as well as use of a rebate receivable is believed to be another novel feature of the present invention.
  • a purchase agreement signed electronically by the consumer will assign the rights to his/her rebate to the purchaser upon payment of the agreed upon purchase price.
  • electronic contracts and electronic records relating to such contracts have become pervasive, and should be known to anyone familiar with the art.
  • the most popular electronic signature technologies include digital signatures that leverage public key cryptography, passwords, clickwrap signatures (e.g., an "I Accept” button on a website), and biometric signatures (e.g., voice prints and fingerprints). Over time, these electronic signature technologies may change, but the ultimate objective is to allow someone to enter into what is recognized as a legally binding contract remotely using electronic communication.
  • the rebate receivable that can be assigned, sold, or transferred to a 3 rd party via an electronically-signed purchase agreement is believed to be yet another novel feature of the present invention.
  • the rebate is assignable
  • the purchaser or buyer of the rebate receivable e.g., a factoring company
  • the rebate network manager can determine the set of disbursement options that are to be presented to the customer.
  • the RPC can then display this set of options to the consumer, who is to select the disbursement option that they find most attractive. If a rapid rebate is selected, the RPC may operate to present the Electronic Purchase Agreement to the consumer, including all of the terms and conditions associated with the rapid rebate.
  • the consumer is advised to choose how he/she would like to receive his/her rapid rebate payment, and to provide the required disbursement information for that disbursement mechanism (e.g., if the customer chooses a direct deposit, he/she is asked to provide the routing transit number and account number for his/her checking account.)
  • the RPC may operate to communicate the rebate authorization, the electronic purchase agreement confirmation, and the rapid rebate disbursement data, collectively, and the rapid rebate request to the rebate network manager.
  • the RPC or the rebate network manager then communicates all the information to the appropriate factoring company. If a rebate network manager is not implemented, the RPC can send the information directly to the factoring company.
  • the rebate network manager may play the role of the factoring company itself.
  • the rapid rebate requests can be sent in real-time, or they can be batched and sent multiple times per day.
  • the components of the rapid rebate request - rebate authorization, electronic purchase agreement, and rapid rebate disbursement data - can be combined into one electronic communication or they can be separate communications that all contain the same rebate authorization code.
  • the RPC may also send an electronic message to the consumer confirming his/her rebate disbursement option selection and reiterating the terms of the agreement.
  • the factoring company can perform a series of diagnostic/validation checks to make sure that the data received is in appropriate format and not corrupted. This diagnostic/validation process can include checking to make sure that the rebate authorization code is not a duplicate, checking the consumer's name and address for alpha/numeric characters, and checking the RTN and account number provided by the consumer for numeric characters. If all of these checks are valid, the factoring company can initiate a payment consistent with the rapid rebate disbursement option selected by the consumer.
  • the factoring company can then send a rapid rebate payment confirmation back to the RPC that can include the data required for the RPC to electronically present payment status and tracking information to the consumer (e.g., an ACH confirmation code or check number) along with the designated disbursement account information for the rebate sponsor's rebate payment.
  • the tracking information allows the consumer to return to the RPCs Website or call the RPC to inquire about the status of the rapid rebate payment.
  • the automated mechanism employed for the creation of an account in the consumer's name specifically for the purpose of receiving a consumer rebate and for the communication of the designated account information is believed to be another novel feature of the present invention.
  • rebate payments are sent directly to the qualified rebate recipients.
  • an original rebate payment can be sent to an authorized financial institution rather than directly to the consumer.
  • the original rebate payment can be forwarded to the factoring company that purchased the rebate receivable, or it can be deposited into the newly created account.
  • the RPC can make an ACH payment into the account designated by the factoring company.
  • the invention provisions for the creation of a receivable account in the consumer's name at an authorized financial institution or factoring company where the RPC can forward the rebate sponsor's rebate payment.
  • the authorized financial institution can automatically apply the funds as payment of the consumer's rebate loan. If there is an outstanding credit on the account (e.g., if the rebate sponsor's payment is greater than the amount agreed upon in the electronic loan application), the factoring company can disburse the remaining credit to the consumer using the disbursement information already received, and subsequently close the zero balance account.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an overall architecture wherein embodiments of the present invention may be implemented for offering a rapid rebate to a consumer during a rebate processing transaction. It should be understood that the following description is only exemplary and provides some examples of how the processing of a rebate can occur and how embodiments of the invention can be implemented in a network environment.
  • a system 100 for creating and presenting rapid rebates as disbursement options to a qualified rebate recipient may comprise at least one client 120 representative of a first party in communication with a second party represented by a server 130 over a network 150 (e.g., the Internet).
  • client 120 is representative of a consumer and server 130 is representative of a rebate processing center (RPC).
  • RPC rebate processing center
  • system 100 further comprises a factoring company or other types of financial entity 170.
  • system 100 comprises an extended RPC 140 which integrates the functionality of both RPC 130 and factoring company 170.
  • RPC 130 or RPC 140 may be an independent company or an agent or operator of a rebate sponsor (not shown).
  • rebate sponsor is representative of any manufacturer or retailer that offers rebate programs for the purchase of select products. Customers who purchased the select products are eligible to apply for corresponding rebates and can initiate the rebate claim process by mail or via Web Browser 125 running on client 120 and Web Pages 135 running on server 130.
  • FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of the rapid rebate methodology for providing a rapid rebate to a customer.
  • a flow 200 begins at step 201 when the RPC receives a rebate claim or a status request thereof from the consumer.
  • the RPC operates to determine whether the rebate claim is authorized.
  • the rebate processing center determines if the consumer has made a rebate eligible purchase by validating the submitted collateral against the terms and conditions defined by the rebate sponsor for the relevant promotion, or in the case of a status request, locates and determines the associated status of a designated rebate claim.
  • step 203 if the rebate claim is not authorized by the rebate processor (i.e., the RPC), an authorization failure message is communicated to the consumer.
  • step 204 if the rebate claim is authorized, the RPC determines the status, next steps, and relevant rebate usage and disbursement options accordingly.
  • the RPC communicates the status of the rebate claim, required next steps (if any), relevant rebate usage and disbursement options to the consumer.
  • the rebate processor may ask the consumer to select at least one disbursement option.
  • the RPC operates to determine whether the usage and disbursement option selection(s) is received from the consumer.
  • step 207 if the consumer has not selected the rapid rebate option, the RPC proceeds to process, consistent with its standard process, the usage and disbursement option that the consumer has selected.
  • the RPC records the selection, present corresponding terms and applicable rules to the consumers, and captures all the required information including the authorization and disbursement information.
  • the RPC forwards the rapid rebate request, inclusive of confirmation of rebate authorization and an electronically signed purchase agreement to the factoring company (i.e., the buyer). If the original rebate is not paid, the confirmation of rebate authorization and signed purchase agreement can be used as legal proof of the rebate receivable.
  • the factoring company creates/opens a unique purchase/payment account for the consumer.
  • the factoring company disburses the purchase price of the rebate receivable to the consumer per the purchase agreement.
  • the factoring company sends a conformation of payment to the RPC along with relevant information (e.g., consumer name, account number, rebate program number, payment amount, etc.) associated with the designated rebate receivable account.
  • relevant information e.g., consumer name, account number, rebate program number, payment amount, etc.
  • the RPC operates to generate and send an invoice to the rebate sponsor for the full authorized amount of the rebate claim.
  • the RPC electronically transfers the agreed amount into the designated rebate receivable account to cover the receivable that the factoring company had purchased.
  • step 215 after receiving the receivable payment from the RPC, the factoring company settles the outstanding balance on the rebate receivable account, and closes the purchase/payment account, concluding flow 200.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a rapid rebate system 300 implementing one embodiment of invention and illustrating in one embodiment the flow between a factoring company and a rebate sponsor.
  • system 300 comprises a consumer 320, a RPC 330 communicatively coupled to consumer 320, a factoring company 370 communicatively coupled to consumer 320 and RPC 330, and a rebate sponsor 380 communicatively coupled to RPC 330.
  • communications among consumer 320, RPC 330, factoring company 370, and rebate sponsor 380 can occur in a distributed computing environment such as the Internet.
  • an accelerated rapid rebate processing timeline may begin at step 301 which, upon the authorization of a rebate claim submitted by consumer 320, RPC 330 operates to prepare rapid rebates appropriate for the rebate claim and send a confirmation or rebate authorization along with applicable rapid rebates to consumer 320 as disbursement options.
  • consumer 320 selects a rapid rebate and communicates the selection to RPC 330 (e.g., by clicking on an "accept" button associated with the rapid rebate selection on a Web page 135 hosted by server 130 and presented to consumer 320 via Web browser 125 at client 120).
  • RPC 330 operates to prepare and send a request pertaining to the selected rapid rebate to factoring company 370.
  • the request may contain the rebate authorization, an electronic purchase agreement, and disbursement data.
  • RPC 330 operates to generate and send an invoice to rebate sponsor 380.
  • Such an invoice would reference the authorized rebate and advise rebate sponsor 380 of the amount due, among other standard items such as date and payment terms.
  • factoring company 370 releases appropriate fund and pays consumer 320 the rapid rebate per the disbursement data received from RPC 330.
  • Table 1 as an example, if option IV is selected, factoring company 370 may make a direct deposit of $45 into a bank account provided by consumer 320 or credit $45 to a credit card account specified by consumer 320.
  • factoring company 370 may operate to generate a rebate receivable account associated with the disbursement and designated to collect the original rebate payment from rebate sponsor 380 and forwarded by RPC 330.
  • steps 301-304 may occur in real-time, within a 24-hour period or less, or just a few days.
  • steps 301-304 may occur in real-time, within a 24-hour period or less, or just a few days.
  • steps 301-304 thus illustrate how embodiments of the invention can enable a consumer to redeem a rebate in significantly less time at a cost deducted from a fraction of the total rebate amount.
  • step 305 factoring company 370 prepares and sends a confirmation message to RPC 330.
  • a confirmation message may contain the corresponding rebate authorization (e.g., a unique identification code), data confirming the rapid rebate payment to consumer 320, and the designated rebate receivable account information.
  • Step 305 may occur soon after step 304 or at about the same time.
  • invoicing rebate sponsor 380 After invoicing rebate sponsor 380 at step 303, it may take 4 - 6 weeks for RPC 330 to receive, at step 306, the corresponding payment for the authorized rebate. As one skilled in the art will know, transactions (e.g., invoicing, payment processing, etc.) between RPC 330 and rebate sponsor 380 may occur in batches.
  • RPC 330 operates to send the rebate payment to factoring company 370 and perhaps closes the loop.
  • rebate sponsor 380 there could be no direct relationship between rebate sponsor 380 and consumer 320 or between rebate sponsor 380 and factoring company 370.
  • the invoice from RPC 330 needs not indicate the disbursement choice (e.g., a rapid rebate) made by consumer 320.
  • Rebate sponsor 380 is obliged to fulfill the qualified rebate claim submitted by consumer 320 and invoiced by RPC 330. So long as the obligation to pay the invoice is satisfied, there is no need for rebate sponsor 380 to be involved in the rapid rebate process.
  • transactions pertaining to the rapid rebate can be completely transparent to rebate sponsor 380.
  • RPC 330 it is possible to implement RPC 330 as a built-in functionality that is part of a Website operated by rebate sponsor 380, in which case, steps 303 and 306 may be internal to rebate sponsor 380 or otherwise eliminated.
  • RPC 330 may incorporate the functionality of factoring company 370, in which case, all or part of steps 302, 305, and 307 may be eliminated.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an implementation of FIG. 1 involving an advertising/cross-sell network in communication with the factoring company and the rebate sponsor for offering advertising/cross-sell option(s) as part of the rapid rebate presented to the consumer during the rebate processing transaction.
  • a rapid rebate system 400 may comprise an advertising/cross-sell network 460.
  • Specific examples of cross-sell network 460 can be found in the above-referenced U.S. Patent Application No. 11/504,122.
  • Rebate cross-sell network 440 represents one embodiment of the invention which integrates the functionality of RPC 130 and the ability to cross-sell products/services through the rebate processing network.
  • system 400 communications to factoring company 470 can be done through a rebate cross- sell network manager, which may reside on a server machine in rebate cross-sell network 440.
  • system 400 comprises computers programmed with appropriate software instructions which are generally carried on computer-readable media and which are executable by central processing units of the computers. When executed, these software instructions operate to perform the steps described herein so as to realize embodiments of the rapid rebate solution disclosed herein.
  • the necessary programming techniques and computer languages to achieve this are known to those skilled in the art and thus not further described here.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a flow diagram of another embodiment of the performing a rapid rebate transaction using, for example, the system of Figure 1.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a rapid rebate system 500 implementing another embodiment of invention and illustrating in one embodiment performing a rapid rebate transaction between a factoring company, an advertising/cross-sell network, and a rebate sponsor.
  • a consumer 520 makes a purchase of a rebate-qualifying product or service from a merchant 510 who sponsors the rebate program for the product or service (step 501).
  • Merchant 510 reports the rebate-eligible purchase to RPC 530 (step 502). This communication may occur over a network (e.g., network 150 of FIG. 1) and may occur in real-time or as part of a batch transaction.
  • a network e.g., network 150 of FIG. 1
  • Consumer 520 can then initiate a rebate reimbursement transaction (e.g., via an online session over network 150 of FIG. 1) with RPC 530 (step 503).
  • Consumer 520 may provide personal information (e.g., name, email address, etc.) as well as rebate eligibility collateral to RPC 530.
  • RPC 530 may be responsible for creating and/or managing the primary product (product for which the rebate is being provided to consumer 520) rebate program.
  • RPC 530 may be implemented as a Web-based online service center accessible to consumer 520 through the global communications network (Internet), for example, through a URL entered at consumer 520's browser application.
  • RPC 530 can be configured to fulfill the primary product rebate, manage rebate fraud, provide payment facility/mechanism for the primary product rebate, disburse the primary product rebate, and manage campaigns designed to drive consumers to use its Web-based rebate functionality.
  • RPC 530 may be programmed to electronically accept the rebate claim data from consumer 520 and send a rebate offer query to a rebate network manager or network manager 590 (step 504).
  • network manager 590 is programmed to interface between RPC 530 and rebate offer network product partners 570 (e.g., factoring company 470). More specifically, network manager 590 is programmed to perform a plurality of functions including, among others, establishing and managing the relationships between rebate sponsors, rebate processing centers and merchants/retailers, tracking and reporting offers made/accepted by consumers, managing the performance based payments (e.g., managing payments from partners 570 to consumer 520, etc.) and, should consumer 520 chooses to receive a rapid rebate instead of the original rebate, accepting the original rebate as a receivable.
  • rebate offer network product partners 570 e.g., factoring company 470.
  • network manager 590 is programmed to perform a plurality of functions including, among others, establishing and managing the relationships between rebate sponsors, rebate processing centers and merchants/retailers, tracking and reporting offers made/accepted by consumers, managing the performance based payments (e.g., managing payments from partners 570 to consumer 520, etc.) and, should consumer
  • network manager 590 After receiving the rebate offer query from RPC 530, network manager 590 operates to formulate and send a structured query to partners 570 to acquire initiate leads and cross-sell opportunities from partners 570 (step 505).
  • rebate offer network product partners 570 returns rapid rebate offer(s) which are in addition to the original rebate offered to the consumer and which may also include cross-sell offers (step 506).
  • network manager 590 returns the rapid rebate offers to RPC 530 for forwarding to consumer 520 at step 508.
  • this interaction with consumer 520 could be conducted by network manager 590 directly and the outcome reported to RPC 530.
  • the functionality of network manager 590 can be partially or fully integrated with RPC 530, rebate sponsor 580, or even distributed to work station(s) of consumer 520.
  • embodiments of the rapid rebate solution disclosed herein can be practiced without network manager 590.
  • One distinguishing feature of the rapid rebate solution disclosed herein is directed to offering a rapid rebate to a consumer during a rebate processing session.
  • the rapid rebate(s) offered to the consumer may include a secondary product offering(s).
  • consumer 520 is presented with the rapid rebate option(s), which may include cross-sell offers. Consumer 520 can choose to wait or expedite the rebate process by accepting a rapid rebate.
  • step 509 the selection is communicated to RPC 530. If consumer 520 decides to forego the rapid rebate option(s), RPC 530 operates to process the rebate as it would have without the rapid rebate option(s).
  • a message is constructed and sent to network manager 590 indicating consumer 520's acceptance of the rapid rebate option.
  • the rapid rebate option can include a cash payment of less than the original rebate amount to consumer 520 in exchange for assigning the rebate collection opportunity to, for example, network manager 590 in this embodiment.
  • Table 1 suppose consumer 520 is qualified to receive a rebate of $50 for a primary product purchased from merchant 510 and made by rebate sponsor 580. If consumer 520 selects the disbursement option IV, $45 can be immediately deposited into consumer 520's bank account.
  • network manager 590 provides payment to consumer 520 for the amount of the rapid rebate. This can be accomplished either through RPC 530 or directly by network manager 590 (e.g., deposit the payment into a checking account, immediate debit card, etc.).
  • Steps 512-515 do not involve consumer 520.
  • network manager 590 operates to inform RPC 530 that payment to consumer 520 has been satisfied.
  • RPC 530 notifies rebate sponsor 580 that the rebate to consumer 520 has been satisfied and invoices rebate sponsor 580 for the full rebate amount.
  • rebate sponsor 580 remits the invoiced amount to RPC 530.
  • RPC 530 forwards the rebate payment to network manager 590.
  • RPC 530 could be taken out of the above-described process altogether and steps 510-515 can occur directly between network manager 590, consumer 520, and rebate sponsor 580.

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Abstract

Dans des modes de réalisation, l'invention concerne un procédé et un système permettant à des consommateurs de traiter des remises en ligne et de recevoir ces remises de manière accélérée en échange de l'attribution de la remise à une troisième partie. Dans un mode de réalisation, l'invention fournit au consommateur une option de déboursement permettant d'accepter moins que la quantité de remise originale provenant du promoteur de remise en échange d'une réduction de temps significative pour collecter le reste. L'échange peut être transparent au promoteur de remise. Dans un autre mode de réalisation, l'invention fournit au consommateur une option d'attribution permettant de transférer le droit de collecter une remise à une tierce partie en échange d'un paiement rapide. Dans ce mode de réalisation, la tierce partie gère la collecte de la remise provenant du promoteur de remise.
PCT/US2006/039816 2005-10-06 2006-10-06 Systeme et procede permettant d'effectuer des paiements de remise rapides WO2007044830A2 (fr)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111680995A (zh) * 2020-06-09 2020-09-18 青岛有容信息科技有限公司 一种支付链构建方法、装置、计算机设备及可读存储介质

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050125292A1 (en) * 2003-12-04 2005-06-09 Jason Kassab Retail rebate card

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050125292A1 (en) * 2003-12-04 2005-06-09 Jason Kassab Retail rebate card

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111680995A (zh) * 2020-06-09 2020-09-18 青岛有容信息科技有限公司 一种支付链构建方法、装置、计算机设备及可读存储介质
CN111680995B (zh) * 2020-06-09 2023-09-19 青岛有容信息科技有限公司 一种支付链构建方法、装置、计算机设备及可读存储介质

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