System and method for facilitating the sale of a travel product

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the sale of travel products is disclosed. The system receives travel inquiries from requesters for preferred travel products ( 905 ). The system in turn selects and offers the requester an alternate travel product which has a greater value to the seller if sold than the requester's preferred travel product ( 925 ). Various systems and methods are disclosed for determining whether an alternate travel product has a greater value to the seller if sold than the preferred travel product. Exemplary determinations are based on profit margin and load factor discrepancy between the preferred travel product and the alternate travel product. The system further provides for the selection and offering of a benefit in conjunction with a requester's acceptance of an alternate travel product, and for the selection of the benefit based on the differences between the requester's preferred travel product and the alternate travel product.

1 . A computer-implemented method for offering a travel product for sale, comprising:
 receiving a preferred travel product record and at least one alternate travel product record from an inventory database, the preferred and alternate travel product records being indicative of preferred and alternate travel products;   selecting at least one alternate travel product based on the at least one received alternate travel product record, wherein the at least one alternate travel product provides a greater value to a seller if sold than the preferred travel product; and   transmitting an offer to sell the selected at least one alternate travel product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving an acceptance to purchase the at least one alternate travel product. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving payment for the accepted at least one alternate travel product. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting an offer to sell the preferred travel product. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preferred and alternate travel products are indicative of at least one of an airline ticket, a hotel room, a rental car, a cruise ticket and a train ticket. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the at least one alternate travel product having a greater value to the seller than the preferred travel product is based upon inventory data associated with the alternate and preferred travel products. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the at least one alternate travel product having a greater value to the seller than the preferred travel product is based upon profit margin data associated with the preferred and alternate travel products. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the at least one alternate travel product having a greater value to the seller than the preferred travel product is based upon a current load factor associated with the alternate and preferred travel products. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the travel products have seating capacities, the current load factor being indicative of the current available seating capacity for a travel product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the at least one alternate travel product having a greater value to the seller than the preferred travel product data entry is based upon a projected load factor associated with the alternate and preferred travel products. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein each travel product has a seating capacity, the projected load factor being an estimate of the available seating capacity for a travel product at the travel date. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the projected load factor is based upon historical travel product data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the at least one alternate travel product having a greater value to the seller than the preferred travel product is based upon a load factor discrepancy associated with the alternate and preferred travel products. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein each travel product has a seating capacity, and an optimal load factor and projected load factor based upon the seating capacity, the load factor discrepancy being based upon the difference between the optimal load factor and a projected load factor for a travel product. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein each travel product has a seating capacity, and an optimal load factor and projected load factor based upon the seating capacity, the load factor discrepancy being based upon a difference between the optimal load factor and a current load factor for a travel product. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting a benefit to be associated with the at least one alternate travel product. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising transmitting an offer for the benefit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the selected benefit has an associated time duration for acceptance. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the selected benefit comprises at least one of additional frequent traveling miles, a price discount, a traveling class upgrade and a package deal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising generating a benefit rating, wherein the benefit rating is based on a difference between the preferred travel product and the alternate travel product. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the benefit is selected based on the benefit rating. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the benefit is a package deal benefit to be associated with the alternate travel product, the package deal benefit including at least one additional travel product. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the benefit is selected based upon a difference between the value of the alternate travel product and the preferred travel product. 
     
     
         24 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A computer-implemented method for offering a travel product for sale comprising:
 receiving a travel inquiry indicative of a preferred travel product from a traveler;   transmitting the travel inquiry to at least one merchant server;   receiving at least one alternate travel product record from a merchant server, wherein the at least one alternate travel product record is based upon the travel inquiry, the alternate travel product record being indicative of an alternate travel product;   selecting at least one alternate travel product based on the at least one received alternate travel product record, wherein the at least one alternate travel product provides a greater value to a seller if sold than the preferred travel product;   transmitting an offer to sell the selected at least one alternate travel product to a traveler; and   receiving an acceptance to purchase the at least one alternate travel product from the traveler.   
     
     
         30 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A computer implemented method for purchasing a travel product, comprising:
 submitting a travel inquiry that is indicative of a preferred travel product;   receiving an offer for at least one alternate travel product, wherein the at least one alternate travel product has a greater value to a seller if sold then a preferred travel product, the at least one alternate travel product being based on the travel inquiry; and   transmitting an acceptance to purchase the at least one alternate travel product.   
     
     
         34 - 66 . (canceled)