Method and system for universal gift registry

Abstract

A gift registry providing a partial payment option for gift givers and a mandatory and contingent gift substitution for gift recipients. The gift recipient registers any type of gift idea from any store or establishment, for any occasion with an associated gift amount in the registry. The registrant is able to name their own gift price by selecting a gift amount not necessarily the same as the retail cost of the gift idea. The gift recipient also indicates whether they will accept a contingent substitute of gift or cash if the system is unable to provide the gift idea at the gift amount. The recipient can also select mandatory substitution of gift or cash. The difference between mandatory and contingent substitution is that mandatory substitution automatically occurs while contingent substitution occurs if and only if the selected gift is unavailable at the specified gift amount or could not be delivered in time. In effect, mandatory substitution for cash allows the registrant to arrange for automatic gift return and receipt of a cash gift. Gift givers are able to review gift ideas and associated gift amounts and select them. A gift giver is also able to select a gift idea and make a partial contribution toward purchase of the gift idea. This allows higher cost gifts to be purchased by multiple gift givers and thereby provides recipients and givers with greater flexibility in their gift selection. When a mandatory or contingent substitution for cash is provided, the system includes incentives, such as coupons. The coupons or incentives are independently profitable and help to offset the cost of managing the mandatory and contingent substitutions.

1 - 194 . (canceled) 
     
     
         195 . A method for enabling a plurality of gift givers to make a contribution toward an uncommitted balance of a gift for a gift recipient, the method comprising:
 transmitting via a network to a computer device associated with at least one of the plurality of gift givers an indication of the uncommitted balance of the gift;   receiving via the network from at least one of the computer devices at least one commitment for an amount towards the uncommitted balance of the gift, where the amount is for less than all of the uncommitted balance;   generating an updated indication of the uncommitted balance of the gift based on the received commitment; and   transmitting via the network to a computer device of at least one of the plurality of gift givers the updated indication.   
     
     
         196 . The method of  claim 195 , further comprising:
 generating a purchase request for the gift if the uncommitted balance is less than or equal to zero.   
     
     
         197 . The method of  claim 195 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
         198 . The method of  claim 195 , wherein the gift comprises at least one gift selected from a catalog of a retailer. 
     
     
         199 . The method of  claim 195 , wherein the gift comprises at least one gift selected from an online marketplace. 
     
     
         200 . The method of  claim 199 , wherein the online marketplace includes at least one vendor. 
     
     
         201 . The method of  claim 195 , wherein the gift is selected by the gift recipient. 
     
     
         202 . The method of  claim 195 , wherein the gift comprises a cash substitution. 
     
     
         203 . The method of  claim 202 , wherein the cash substitution is a gift card. 
     
     
         204 . A system configured to enable a plurality of gift givers to make a contribution toward an uncommitted balance of a gift for a gift recipient, the system comprising:
 a communications interface for communicating via a network with at least one computer device associated with a plurality of gift givers; and   a processor in communication with the communications interface, the processor configured to:   provide the communications interface an indication of the uncommitted balance of the gift for transmission via the network to a computer device associated with at least one of the plurality of gift givers;   receive from the communications interface at least one commitment for an amount towards the uncommitted balance of the gift, where the amount is for less than all of the uncommitted balance, wherein the communications interface received the at least one commitment via the network from at least one of the computer devices;   generate an updated indication of the uncommitted balance of the gift based on the received commitment; and   provide the communications interface with the updated indication for transmission via the network to a computer device of at least one of the plurality of gift givers.   
     
     
         205 . The system of  claim 204 , wherein the gift comprises at least one gift selected from a catalog of a retailer. 
     
     
         206 . The system of  claim 204 , wherein the gift comprises at least one gift selected from an online marketplace. 
     
     
         207 . The system of  claim 206 , wherein the online marketplace includes at least one vendor. 
     
     
         208 . The system of  claim 204 , wherein the gift is selected by the gift recipient. 
     
     
         209 . The system of  claim 204 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a purchase request for the gift if the uncommitted balance is less than or equal to zero.   
     
     
         210 . The system of  claim 209 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a request to send a message once the purchase request has been generated.   
     
     
         211 . The system of  claim 210 , wherein the message is one of an electronic mail message and a text message. 
     
     
         212 . The system of  claim 209 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a request to send a message once the purchase request has been satisfied.   
     
     
         213 . The system of  claim 212 , wherein the message is one of an electronic mail message and a text message. 
     
     
         214 . The system of  claim 209 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a notification that the purchase request has been satisfied.   
     
     
         215 . The system of  claim 214 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a request to send a message once the purchase request has been generated.   
     
     
         216 . The system of  claim 215 , wherein the message is one of an electronic mail message and a text message. 
     
     
         217 . The system of  claim 214 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a request to send a message once the purchase request has been satisfied.   
     
     
         218 . The system of  claim 217 , wherein the message is one of an electronic mail message and a text message. 
     
     
         219 . The system of  claim 204 , wherein the network is the Internet.